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Bill to punish Putin grants too much power to Donald Trump
🇳🇱 Netherlands /Economy & Trade

Bill to punish Putin grants too much power to Donald Trump

From NRC Handelsblad · () Dutch

Translated from Dutch, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

Analysis From a news agency Context piece
  • The U.S. Senate passed a bill aimed at sanctioning Russia and Iran, named after the late Senator Lindsey O. Graham, to pressure Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine.
  • The bill grants the U.S. president broad powers to impose tariffs on energy imports from countries dealing with Russia, a move criticized for giving too much discretion to Donald Trump.
  • Critics worry that Trump might exploit the "national interest" clause to impose tariffs arbitrarily, similar to past attempts that were curtailed by the Supreme Court.

A bill passed by the U.S. Senate aims to increase pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine by imposing new sanctions on Russia and Iran. Named the "Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act," the legislation directs the U.S. president to take more forceful actions against Russia, including sanctions on key figures, energy projects, and financial institutions.

Vladimir Putin will not end his war on Ukraine until he believes the costs of fighting on exceed the costs of stopping.

— The EconomistSetting the context for the need for U.S. sanctions against Russia.

The bill, which passed with broad bipartisan support, introduces a new tool: tariffs on countries that import Russian hydrocarbons. Senators Graham and Richard Blumenthal, a co-sponsor, included this provision as sanctions alone have not altered Putin's behavior, and illicit Russian oil exports are difficult to block. The aim is to signal that the U.S. will not abandon Ukraine and to convince Putin that continuing the war will only weaken him.

The aim is to punish Russia for as long as it fails to make peace with Ukraine and to signal that America will not abandon Mr Putin’s courageous victims.

— The EconomistExplaining the purpose of the new Senate bill.

However, the bill's current form raises significant concerns, primarily regarding the extensive powers it grants the U.S. president to impose tariffs. The legislation allows for levies of up to 100% on the top five importers of Russian energy and on any nation aiding Russia in evading sanctions. Crucially, the president can waive or adjust these tariffs based on a broad interpretation of "national interest" or a country's "significant steps" in managing Russian oil and gas imports.

That is a lot of discretion for Congress to give to anyone, let alone to Donald Trump.

— The EconomistExpressing concern about the powers granted to the U.S. president in the bill.

Critics argue that this level of discretion is excessive, especially given Donald Trump's past actions. The Supreme Court previously struck down Trump's attempt to impose tariffs based on a declared economic "emergency," deeming it an overreach of presidential power. The concern is that Trump might use the "national interest" clause in the new bill to impose tariffs selectively, similar to his previous "power grab" aimed at extracting concessions for the United States and himself.

The new bill could restore to the president a chunk of the power the Supreme Court rightly took away.

— The EconomistHighlighting the potential impact of the bill on presidential powers.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by NRC Handelsblad in Dutch. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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