With New Sanctions, Senate Forces Trump’s Hand on Russia
“This bill will prevent President Trump from relaxing sanctions on Russia without congressional review,” said
Senator Sherrod Brown, Democrat of Ohio, who urged Mr. Trump to sign the legislation as quickly as possible.
Last week, after House and Senate leaders announced an agreement on sanctions, Sarah Huckabee Sanders,
the incoming White House press secretary, suggested that Mr. Trump would sign the final package.
By MATT FLEGENHEIMERJULY 27, 2017
The Senate on Thursday approved sweeping sanctions against Russia, forcing President Trump to decide whether to accept a tougher line against
Moscow or issue a politically explosive veto amid investigations into ties between his presidential campaign and Russian officials.
The Senate vote, 98 to 2, followed the passage of a House bill this week to punish Russia, Iran
and North Korea for various violations by each of the three American adversaries.
Senator Bob Corker, Republican of Tennessee and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said
he “cannot imagine” Mr. Trump rejecting legislation with such veto-proof majorities in Congress.
White House aides have acknowledged privately that a veto would be politically awkward, at best, for Mr.
Trump to justify during the continuing investigations into whether his campaign colluded with Russia.