House Speaker Mike Johnson on Sunday endorsed what he called "overdue" sanctions on Russia but said Congress would follow President Joe Biden’s successor, Donald Trump, on any final action.
Johnson, appearing on CBS News' Face the Nation, said there is "a big appetite" in Congress for tougher measures and that lawmakers are prepared to work with the White House and Senate colleagues to advance a sanctions package. He added, "I think appropriate sanctions on Russia are far overdue," and said he was "anxious to do it, personally."
The comments came as senators and representatives pressed to attach new penalties to must-pass legislation to avert a government shutdown in about two weeks. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) have urged lawmakers to include a bipartisan sanctions package on any short-term funding bill or broader spending measure.
A bipartisan Senate package, led by Graham and Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), has drawn roughly 85 co-sponsors and would impose secondary tariffs on countries that buy Russian oil, aiming to choke a key revenue stream for Moscow's war effort. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has publicly endorsed measures that would limit Russia's energy income.
Trump's stance on the proposal has shifted in recent weeks. He has said he believes he has authority to impose similar penalties by executive action and has warned that congressional legislation could complicate U.S. efforts to broker a peace agreement. White House officials have echoed concerns that statutory sanctions could limit diplomatic flexibility. Trump last month threatened to proceed with secondary tariffs, then paused after Russian President Vladimir Putin met with a U.S. special envoy; the two leaders later met in Alaska. Since those encounters, Russian forces have intensified drone and missile strikes on Ukraine.
Johnson acknowledged that any congressional sanctions package would ultimately require the president's signature and said lawmakers would "defer to the commander in chief." He said Congress is "willing to work with the White House and our Senate colleagues in the House to get that done."
Sen. Graham, a longtime proponent of tougher measures on Moscow who helped shepherd the bipartisan Senate draft, has pushed for the tariffs as a way to undercut funding for Russia's military operations. The proposed secondary sanctions would target third-party buyers of Russian energy rather than directly sanctioning producers, a move intended to pressure Russia while limiting friction with allied countries that continue to purchase Russian oil.
The push for new sanctions comes amid domestic political pressure: a potential government shutdown looms in mid-September unless Congress passes funding legislation, and Johnson's leadership has previously been tested by internal GOP dissent. Last year he survived a revolt led by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene after advancing a vote on a roughly $61 billion aid package for Ukraine.
Lawmakers face a compressed calendar to reconcile competing priorities. Republicans and Democrats who support tougher measures on Russia must also secure White House buy-in or risk advancing legislation the president may veto. Johnson's endorsement signals growing congressional appetite for a tougher stance, but the path forward will hinge on negotiations among House leaders, Senate sponsors and the president as the shutdown deadline approaches.