Trump handed new 100% tariff weapon against Russia's oil buyers

House passes sweeping Russia sanctions bill giving Trump power to hit countries buying Moscow's energy

Donald Trump is about to get a powerful new weapon in his pressure campaign against Russia — and it could reach far beyond Moscow.

The US House has passed a sweeping Russia sanctions bill giving the president authority to impose tariffs of up to 100% on major buyers of Russian oil and gas, potentially putting countries including China and India directly in Washington's firing line.

The legislation passed 262-159 on Wednesday and now heads to Trump's desk for his signature. Reuters reported that 58 Democrats joined most Republicans in supporting the measure.

Russia is the target — but the tariffs go wider

The bill imposes new sanctions on Russian political and military figures, financial institutions, energy interests and the so-called shadow fleet of tankers used to move Russian oil around existing sanctions.

But the provision that could have the biggest international impact is aimed at Russia's customers.

Trump would gain authority to impose tariffs of up to 100% on countries that continue buying significant quantities of Russian energy.

China and India, two of the world's biggest purchasers of Russian oil, are therefore potentially exposed to another round of US trade pressure.

The legislation does contain exemptions for countries taking steps to reduce their dependence on Russian energy.

Democrats split over Trump's new powers

The bill exposed a significant divide among House Democrats.

Fifty-eight Democrats voted for it, but others opposed the legislation because they believe it gives Trump too much freedom to impose tariffs on America's trading partners.

Their concern is that a measure intended to punish Moscow could also become another instrument in Trump's wider trade battles.

The debate is not simply about Russia.

It is about how much power Congress should give the president to decide which foreign economies should face punitive US tariffs.

A bill years in the making

The legislation was championed by the late Senator Lindsey Graham and had already cleared the Senate by an overwhelming 86-11 vote.

Its passage represents the most significant congressional action supporting Ukraine since the major emergency aid package passed in 2024, according to Reuters.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has backed the measure, arguing that greater economic pressure is needed to cut the money flowing into Russia's war effort.

Now the decision moves to Trump.

And there is a much bigger question

The extraordinary part of the legislation is that Washington is no longer simply threatening Russia.

It is threatening countries that continue doing business with Russia.

That potentially turns the sanctions campaign into a much wider economic confrontation involving some of the world's biggest energy buyers.

And with global fuel markets already under pressure, the consequences may extend well beyond the Kremlin.

Sources: Reuters / AP / POLITICO

China? No worries.

Xi is in control. 😄

Trump loves Russia too much long time to really hurt them.

His current agenda is the same as Putin's -- to try to force Ukraine to surrender.

This could be quite an embarrassment for Trump..........here's your weapon, years in the making, so now we want to see you use it...........but will he?

Will he clobber his bezzie Putin?

Negotiations with Modi are at quite a delicate stage.

Hit Xi and expect returns.

1 minute ago, Will B Good said:

This could be quite an embarrassment for Trump..........here's your weapon, years in the making, so now we want to see you use it...........but will he?

Will he clobber his bezzie Putin?

Negotiations with Modi are at quite a delicate stage.

Hit Xi and expect returns.

He won't.

Note that Thailand buys Russian energy.

He would rather use it against Canada or the EU than Russia!

1 minute ago, Jingthing said:

He won't.

Note that Thailand buys Russian energy.

I read they will generate a list every six months of the top five big hitters and decide who, if anyone, to clobber.......but I can't see the big five changing much........China, India, selected EU or regional nations.

Thailand are well down the pecking order.

With Trump and going back for decades it's not the Russia Russia Russia hoax.

It's

Russia

Russia

Russia

Russia

Russia

Russia

Russia

Russia

Russia

Russia

Russia

I could go on but you get the picture.

2 minutes ago, Will B Good said:

I read they will generate a list every six months of the top five big hitters and decide who, if anyone, to clobber.......but I can't see the big five changing much........China, India, selected EU or regional nations.

Thailand are well down the pecking order.

Probably so but recently Thailand made a very big deal with Russia about energy coming from Russia's far east.

So that means it will increase.

But wait.

I heard today that Ukraine's drone will have a range to be able to hit Russia's far east sometime next yaar (which is amazing).

So, never mind.