Trump Gives Graham Limelight to Talk Secondary Tariffs
Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, the lead Republican in the Senate pushing for higher tariffs on countries that buy Russian oil, talked up his bill to reporters on Air Force One as he and the president flew back from Palm Beach, Florida. President Donald Trump said, "We talk a lot about legislation, and we have great legislation coming, you want to tell them?"
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Graham called the Russia sanctions bill "the tariff bill," even though the momentum in the House is to strip out the tariff plank and leave a sanctions plank (see 2512190029).
"If you want to end this conflict, then put pressure on [Russian President Vladimir] Putin's customers," Graham said Jan. 4.
Trump interjected that India is hurting after his action to put additional 25% tariffs on Indian refineries' purchases of Russian oil. Graham agreed, and said the Indian ambassador emphasized how those firms are buying less Russian oil, and asked: "Would you tell the president to relieve the tariff?"
Graham emphasized that Trump would have full leeway to hike tariffs -- or leave tariffs where they are -- on these purchasing countries, up to 500%.
"He picks the number. Nobody else does, but if you're buying cheap Russian oil, keeping Putin's war machine going, we're trying to get the president the ability to make that a hard choice by [hiking] tariffs. I really do believe that what he did with India is the chief reason India is now buying substantially less Russian oil. So I hope we pass this bill soon and as of ... ."
Trump broke in and said that the leader of India is "a good guy."
"He knew I was not happy, and it was important to make me happy. They do trade, and we can raise tariffs on them very quickly," he said.
Trump did not say explicitly that he would like the bill to pass Congress, instead, pivoting to talking about how the Russian economy is "lousy" but the Venezuelan economy is even worse.