Domestic Affairs

Lindsey Graham Wants to Crackdown on Russia: Senate Moves Toward “Bone-Crushing” Sanctions and Global Tariffs

Michael Frick

01 May 2025 — 6 min read

The White House, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Introduction

Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), a close ally of President Donald Trump, is spearheading a sweeping bipartisan effort to impose new, severe sanctions on Russia and to levy unprecedented tariffs on any country that continues to buy Russian oil, gas, or uranium. As Trump struggles to fulfill his campaign promise to end the war in Ukraine, Graham’s initiative has rapidly gained momentum in the Senate, crossing the critical 60-vote threshold needed to overcome a filibuster and, according to Graham, likely to reach at least 67 co-sponsors by week’s end-enough to override a presidential veto. The bill, which Graham describes as “bone-crushing,” represents the most aggressive U.S. legislative response yet to Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine and signals a new phase of congressional assertiveness in foreign policy.

I. The Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025: What’s in the Bill?

A. Primary and Secondary Sanctions

Graham’s legislation, known as the Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025, is designed to pressure Russia into serious negotiations to end its war in Ukraine. The bill includes:

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