President Donald Trump signed stiff Russia sanctions into law Wednesday morning, days after overwhelming congressional support for the bill painted the White House into a corner.
As Bloomberg first reported, however, the president added a signing statement detailing the the White House’s concerns about the legislation, namely that it encroaches on presidential authority and may harm our ability to work with allies.
“I support making clear that America will not tolerate interference in our democratic process, and that we will side with our allies and friends against Russian subversion and destabilization,” President Trump said in a press statement. “Still, the bill remains seriously flawed—particularly because it encroaches on the executive branch’s ability to negotiate. Congress could not even negotiate a healthcare bill after seven years of talking.”
The bill, which also sanctions Iran and North Korea, empowers Congress to block the president from lifting the sanctions unilaterally and is seen as a congressional rebuke on the White House’s waffling on Russian interference in the 2016 election.
“My administration particularly expects the Congress to refrain from using this flawed bill to hinder our important work with European allies to resolve the conflict in Ukraine, and from using it to hinder our efforts to address any unintended consequences it may have for American businesses, our friends, or our allies,” the statement reads.
Peter Feaver, director of the Triangle Institute for Security Studies, told Bloomberg that Congress is likely to return some control to Trump once the administration comes up with a clear Russia policy.
“It’s driven by a perception on Capitol Hill that the administration does not have a coherent Russia policy yet and the administration has not yet spoken with one voice about what Russia did,” Feaver said. “When they do, and it has bipartisan support, Congress will replace this form of sanctions with another one that gives the president a national security waiver or some form of more wiggle room that is more customary.”
When the Senate passed the bill, Sen. John McCain praised it as a necessary response to “Russia’s attack on American democracy.”
“We will not tolerate attacks on our democracy,” McCain said. “That’s what this bill is all about.”
The president’s signing statement made clear his displeasure with Congress. His closing words? “I built a truly great company worth many billions of dollars. That is a big part of the reason I was elected. As President, I can make far better deals with foreign countries than Congress.
Correction: The article originally incorrectly stated that Trump signed the bill on Tuesday.
