‘Putin’s oil buyers will face Trump’s wrath’: US senator slams China, India, Brazil over ‘blood money’
US Republican Senator Lindsey Graham has issued a stark warning to nations still importing Russian oil, naming China, India, and Brazil as targets of a potential Trump-led trade crackdown. “Trump is going to impose tariffs on people that buy Russian oil — China, India, and Brazil,” Graham said during a Fox News interview.
These three countries account for nearly 80 percent of Russia’s discounted crude purchases. Graham argues their continued trade fuels Vladimir Putin’s war machine and undermines efforts to end the conflict in Ukraine.
“Here’s what I would tell China, India, and Brazil: If you keep buying cheap Russian oil to allow this war to continue, we’re going to tear up the hell out of you and we’re going to crush your economy, because what you’re doing is blood money,” he said.
According to Graham, Trump’s administration is prepared to act decisively, giving Putin a 50-day ultimatum on July 14 to halt military operations or face sweeping sanctions — including penalties on countries aiding Russia’s economy through oil purchases.
“Putin, your turn is coming,” Graham warned, adding, “Donald Trump is the Scottie Scheffler of American politics and foreign diplomacy and he’s about to put a whooping on your ass.”
While a bill proposing 500% tariffs on Russian oil buyers is currently on hold in the US Senate, Graham’s remarks are being read as a signal of the Trump administration’s aggressive posture on foreign trade and wartime financing.
He also reinforced that US weapons will continue flowing to Ukraine and defended Trump’s previous support for Israeli strikes on Iran, claiming it had dealt a serious blow to Tehran’s nuclear ambitions. Graham didn’t hold back, labeling Iran’s Ayatollah a “religious Nazi.”
As China and India remain Russia’s biggest oil buyers and Brazil maintains trade ties with Moscow, Graham’s message marks a potential flashpoint in US relations with some of the world’s fastest-growing economies.
