Trump signs executive order exempting Russia from sanctions law, freezing multiple curbs
President Trump signed an executive order on Oct. 16 formally exempting Russia from multiple curbs under a new congressional sanctions law, covering energy, finance and individual designations, the New York Times, the Guardian and the BBC report. The order was signed during the window before the legislation took effect, widely interpreted as a defining move by the Trump administration to unilaterally reshape U.S. policy toward Moscow. The move triggered strong pushback from Congress, European allies and Ukraine, with Kyiv having resumed long-range strikes on Russian energy infrastructure — strikes Trump publicly called ‘a disgrace’.