In a mild break from President Trump, Sen. Darline Graham (R-S.C.) said she would prefer to keep sanctions pressure on Russia following his executive order.
Trump signed the order Friday, waiving sanctions on Russian energy that were passed under the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act.
The legislation was named after Graham’s late brother, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who fought to pass tougher Russia sanctions just before his death earlier this year.
The bill passed with overwhelming bipartisan support and targeted Russia’s energy sector, along with oligarchs, officials, and banks, though it gave the White House wide latitude to grant exemptions.
“The president and I share the same goal, which is to end the war, get gas and diesel prices down,” Graham told the Associated Press Saturday.
“The sanctions bill is one of the tools he can use to do that. It’s up to him whether or not he chooses to use it,” she added.
Graham also made clear her personal preference, stating, “Personally, I would choose to keep the pressure on Russia … because I don’t trust Putin, and I don’t trust Russia.”
Sen. John Cornyn of Texas responded more sharply on social media, writing that “Lindsey would be appalled” by the president’s decision to waive the sanctions.
The waiver came one week after the administration briefly eased penalties on Russian diesel amid soaring prices that have become a major midterm issue.
Trump has offered no public explanation for the waiver, which applies to sanctions signed into law just last September targeting Russia’s energy sector and financial networks.
Graham was appointed to her Senate seat in July to replace her brother following his death, and she is now campaigning for a full term with the president’s endorsement.
In a debate this week against Democratic nominee Annie Andrews, Graham said she had been “so proud” to help get the sanctions measure passed into law.
The situation places Graham in a delicate position as she balances loyalty to Trump, whose backing she carries into the campaign, against legislation bearing her family’s name.
She is expected to campaign alongside Trump in South Carolina next week, underscoring the political tightrope she is currently navigating over the sanctions dispute.
