Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., told NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday that President Donald Trump’s decision to waive sanctions and allow Russian diesel into the United States may be violating the law, adding a Republican voice to the bipartisan criticism of the administration’s Russia policy .

Tillis said there is “a legitimate case for saying the president’s not following the law,” pointing to a 2022 statute that banned Russian energy imports unless Congress approves changes . “The law says any changes to that have to be run through Congress,” host Kristen Welker noted before asking Tillis directly whether he believed Trump was breaking the law. Tillis replied: “I believe that he may be” .

The North Carolina senator, who is retiring at the end of his term, warned that the deal could have “deadly consequences” and put American lives at risk, citing Russia’s reported cooperation with Iran. “These are bad people hanging out with bad people, putting American lives at risk,” Tillis said. “I will guarantee you at the first opportunity Putin has to embarrass or undermine President Trump, he will” .

Trump signed an executive order Friday waiving most of the Russia penalties under the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, certifying that the step was “in the national interests of the United States” . The law, named for the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who died in July, would have imposed tariffs of up to 500% on Russian imports and mandatory sanctions on Russian banks and the country’s shadow fleet of oil tankers . The waiver also shields a Treasury Department license, valid through April 2027, that allows Russian diesel into the U.S. as Trump looks to ease rising fuel prices ahead of the midterms .

Tillis told Welker that the Senate vote on the Graham legislation was “86 votes, if I remember. That’s a universal position of the U.S. Senate. And the president’s actions and his comments over the last 24 hours are the exact opposite of the intent of that bill” .

The criticism was not limited to Tillis. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said Saturday on Fox News that he wished Trump hadn’t issued the waiver. “I think it was a mistake,” Cruz said. “The current path, unfortunately, just benefits Putin” . Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, wrote that Graham “would be appalled” . A bipartisan group of seven senators, including Republicans Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, and John Curtis along with Tillis, issued a statement saying Trump’s decision to allow Russian diesel imports “runs directly counter” to the 2022 law and urging the administration to “immediately reverse course” .

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent defended the move Sunday on Fox News, saying the administration would proceed “with all the legal authorities we have” and that anyone claiming the law prohibits the action “is wrong” . Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso, R-Wyo., also defended the deal, telling CBS’ “Face the Nation” that Trump is focused on bringing costs down for consumers. “The president is balancing and has to make tough decisions,” Barrasso said .

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticized the waiver, saying it “only encourages” Russia to keep attacking. “A U.S. sanctions blackout, easing pressure on the aggressor, financial rewards for Putin—all of this only encourages him to keep attacking,” Zelenskyy wrote . The waiver remained in force as of Sunday with no fixed expiration date.