Trump officially signs Russia sanctions bill into law

President Donald Trump formally enacted a sanctions bill aimed at increasing economic pressure on Russia, signing the measure into law on Friday. The legislation expands the range of punitive tools available to the U.S. government as the Kremlin continues military operations in Ukraine.

The package, championed in Congress by the late Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and bearing his name, authorizes both additional sanctions and new tariff powers. Among its provisions is language directing the president to impose tariffs as high as 100 percent on the top five categories laid out in the bill.

Supporters of the measure framed it as a way to heighten costs for Russia amid its ongoing conflict with Ukraine, while providing the administration with clear statutory authority to target economic sectors or goods. The law gives the executive branch discretion over the timing and implementation of the authorized sanctions and tariff actions.

How and when the new authorities will be applied will depend on subsequent decisions by the administration, including determinations about which specific categories the tariff provision covers and any accompanying implementation steps. Observers will be watching for follow-on actions that translate the law's authorities into concrete measures.