“The challenge is that it's been clear for about 18 months now, since Lindsey Graham started pushing this bill in the first place in the early parts of 2025, that the president simply doesn't have much appetite for squeezing the Russian energy export system to the degree that people like the late Senator Graham envisioned and desired,”

Hal Brands · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-23

Brands said it has been clear for about 18 months that Trump lacks appetite for squeezing Russian energy exports as the late Senator Graham envisioned.