President Trump has just signed a bill imposing sanctions on Russia for the country’s alleged meddling in the 2016 election. The bill also imposes sanctions on Iran and North Korea. The legislation also prevents the president from easing those sanctions without congressional approval.
When he signed the legislation this morning, Trump also issued a signing statement calling the bill “seriously flawed,” saying it “improperly encroaches on Executive power, disadvantages American companies, and hurts the interests of our European allies.” Trump said he signed the bill “for the sake of national unity,” in spite of his concerns.
The statement also included a swipe at congressional Republicans for failing to negotiate a deal on health-care reform, and it concluded by stating, “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.”
Trump issued a second statement on the bill, attacking the bill further. He claims that it includes “a number of clearly unconstitutional provisions,” all of which he says infringe on the president’s executive power to negotiate and “conduct foreign relations.”
Regardless of those concerns, however, the president has signed the bill, which seems to indicate his willingness to punish Russia for its possible meddling in last November’s election.