The Democrat argued against giving “unhinged” President Donald Trump more power to impose tariffs
Published 4 Aug, 2026 23:26
| Updated 4 Aug, 2026 23:46
US Senator Raphael Warnock speaks to journalists in Washington, DC, on April 29, 2026. © Tom Williams / CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images
US Senator Raphael Warnock has blocked an effort to fast-track the passage of a sweeping Russia-Iran sanctions bill, Punchbowl News reported on Tuesday.
The revised legislation, championed by the late Senator Lindsey Graham, a prominent Russia hawk, would authorize President Donald Trump to impose tariffs of up to 100% on goods from countries that buy Russian oil, including China and India.
Warnock, a Democrat from Georgia, placed a hold on the bill despite voting last week to advance it.
“Supporting Ukraine does not mean giving this unhinged president new powers to raise the price of everything through tariffs,” he said in a statement shared by Punchbowl News congressional reporter Laura Weiss.
Democrats have long described Trump’s policy of imposing tariffs on most US trading partners as chaotic and damaging to the national economy.
Graham, a staunch supporter of Ukraine, died unexpectedly at the age of 71 last month, shortly after returning from Kiev. Since 2022, he had lobbied heavily for “crushing sanctions” aimed at cutting off Russia’s oil trade.
In March, the US temporarily lifted its ban on the sale and maritime transportation of Russian crude oil after global energy prices skyrocketed due to the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz during the US-Israeli war with Iran. The waiver was extended twice before expiring in June
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