Congress Grants Trump Sweeping Tariff Authority
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- Congress appears poised to pass the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia Act of 2026, which cleared a key Senate procedural vote 86-12 and grants broad tariff authority to the president.
- President Trump may gain expanded legal power to impose tariffs up to 100% on countries like India, China, and the EU if they are top importers of Russian crude oil or natural gas.
- The U.S. trade representative can adjust tariff rates between 0% and 100% without needing congressional approval, only notifying lawmakers after the fact.
- Jonathan Finer, former principal deputy national security adviser, warns the bill gives the president enormous discretion to tariff allies while offering no new sanctions authorities.
- The Supreme Court previously ruled against Trump’s use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act for tariffs, prompting a shift to legally weaker alternatives now being circumvented by the new bill.
Why it matters: The bill removes prior legal constraints and judicial vulnerabilities in presidential tariff powers, enabling rapid, unilateral trade actions against major economies without requiring justification or approval—shifting leverage sharply from Congress to the executive branch.
