Democrats call Russia bill a 'Trojan horse' for Trump tariffs
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- Three Democrats are raising alarm that the bipartisan Sanctioning Russia Act 2026 gives President Trump unacceptable tariff authorities
- Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.), ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, labeled the legislation a "Trojan horse for tariff authorities"
- The Sanctioning Russia Act 2026, released Tuesday, targets Russian President Vladimir Putin's war against Ukraine
- Democratic opposition threatens to complicate a bipartisan sanctions push by tying new trade authority to foreign policy legislation
Why it matters: By embedding tariff authority in a Russia sanctions package, bill sponsors risked the foreign policy goal to expand Trump's trade powers — and Democrats now may withhold support unless the tariff provisions are stripped, potentially derailing new sanctions at a moment of bipartisan momentum against Putin.
