“President Trump has officially waived the application of duties mandated by sections 112 and 113 of the Graham Act.” — Donald Trump. Our verdict: Partly True.
Donald Trump made the claim on 17 October 2026, in remarks reported by Ukrainska Pravda.
Our verdict
Partly True
President Trump did sign an order waiving duties under sections 112 and 113 of the Graham Act, so the main thrust of the claim holds up. But we could not confirm the exact wording quoted in the claim, because only one source carries it and no official text of the order has been published.
What we found
The evidence confirms the action itself. A report from Ukrainska Pravda on 17 October 2026 quotes an executive order signed by President Trump that waives duties under sections 112 and 113 of the Graham Act. The White House published an executive order on 16 October 2026 setting out the President's intent to waive those duties, and a Guardian report on 17 October 2026 describes the order as putting the Graham Act sanctions on hold. A legal analysis from Covington also sets out what sections 112 and 113 require, which matches the duties the order addresses.
What we could not confirm is the precise wording attributed to the waiver. That quotation appears in only one source, the Ukrainska Pravda report, and we found no second independent outlet or official document carrying the same words. We also could not find the full text of the order in an official archive, and no Federal Register notice or complete White House posting of the order was located.
So the claim is partly true: the waiver was issued, but the exact language quoted cannot be verified to a high standard.
The evidence
3 of 6 sources support the claim; none contradict it.
- Supports the claim
A news report quotes an executive order signed by President Trump containing a waiver of duties under sections 112 and 113 of the Graham Act. [1]
- Supports the claim
A legal analysis sets out the requirements of sections 112 and 113 of the Graham Act before the waiver, matching the duties the order addresses. [2]
- Supports the claim
The official White House executive order confirms the President's intent and action to waive duties under the Graham Act. [3]
- Background
A news report states that President Trump issued an executive order on 17 October 2026 waiving sanctions and duties on Russia, described as a suspension of the Graham Act. [4]
- Background
A Federal Register notice on Clean Air Act rules does not mention the Graham Act or any executive order on duty waivers. [5]
- Background
A Federal Register notice on financial regulation does not mention the Graham Act or any executive order on duty waivers. [6]
What we could not confirm
- The exact wording of the waiver quoted in the claim, which appears in only one source and could not be checked against a second independent report or an official document.
- The full text of the executive order, which we could not find in an official archive, the Federal Register, or a complete White House posting.
How we checked
We looked at news reports, the White House presidential actions page, a legal analysis of the Graham Act, and Federal Register notices. We compared what each source said about the waiver and about the exact words used in the order. We reviewed 7 relevant sources.
Sources
- [1]www.pravda.com.ua · Trump signs order suspending Russia sanctions under Graham Act · October 17, 2026
- [2]cov.com · President Trump Signs Legislation Authorizing Russia-Related Tariffs and Additional Sanctions · September 1, 2026
- [3]whitehouse.gov · Implementing the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 · October 16, 2026
- [4]theguardian.com · Trump pauses new Russia sanctions passed by Congress amid deepening row with Ukraine · October 17, 2026
- [5]federalregister.gov · Approval of Missouri's Request for Partial Program Delegation of Clean Air Act 112(r) Prevention of Accidental Release Program · April 29, 2026
- [6]federalregister.gov · Authority To Require Supervision and Regulation of Certain Nonbank Financial Companies · March 30, 2026
- [7]Photo: Daniel Torok / Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
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