July 22, 2025: Republican Senator Lindsey Graham has issued a stark warning that a potential administration under President Donald Trump would impose severe, 100% tariffs on countries continuing to purchase oil from Russia. Graham specifically named India, China, and Brazil, accusing them of fueling Russia’s war machine in Ukraine.
Speaking to Fox News, Graham stated, “Trump is going to impose tariffs on people that buy Russian oil: China, India, and Brazil. Those three countries buy about 80 per cent of cheap Russian oil, and that’s what keeps (Vladimir) Putin’s war machine going.” He further emphasized, “President Trump is going to put a 100 per cent tariff on all those countries, punishing them for helping Putin.”
Graham argued that while Russian President Vladimir Putin might withstand existing sanctions and disregard the lives of Russian soldiers, nations like China, India, and Brazil “are about to face a choice between the American economy or helping Putin. And I think they are going to pick the American economy.”
The Senator vehemently criticized Vladimir Putin, asserting that he is attempting to recreate the former Soviet Union by invading sovereign nations. “Putin wants to take countries that are not his. In the mid-90s, Ukraine gave up 1,700 nuclear weapons with a promise that their sovereignty would be respected by Russia. Putin broke that promise,” Graham said, adding, “He’s (Putin) not going to stop until somebody makes him stop.”
In a direct address to Putin, Graham warned, “Donald Trump is the Scotty Scheffler of American politics and foreign diplomacy, and he’s about to put a whooping on your ass.” He further advised Putin that “the game has changed,” and that by challenging Trump, “your economy is going to be crushed. We are flowing weapons to Ukraine, so Ukraine will have the weapons to fight Putin back.”
According to Senator Graham, these proposed tariffs on India, China, and Brazil would serve as a direct warning to other nations globally. He concluded with a potent message to the three countries: “If you keep buying cheap Russian oil to allow this war to continue, we’re going to tear the hell out of you and crush your economy, because what you are doing is blood money. You’re buying cheap Russian oil at the expense of the world, and President Trump is tired of this game.” Graham urged Putin to come to the negotiating table, as “he’s about to get crushed.”
These remarks come shortly after Trump himself warned of 100% secondary tariffs on countries purchasing Russian exports unless a peace deal between Moscow and Kyiv was reached within 50 days. NATO chief Mark Rutte had also issued a similar warning recently, indicating growing international pressure on nations continuing significant trade with Russia amidst the Ukraine conflict.