President Donald Trump will support the passage of a bipartisan Russia sanctions package that was spearheaded by the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, a White House official told CNN on Monday.
The endorsement comes days after Graham’s unexpected death, likely further smoothing the path for a bill that the South Carolina senator spent years working to push across the finish line.
Graham and Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal previously indicated the administration was prepared to back the package, saying Friday that they reached an agreement following extensive negotiations. Yet it was unclear at the time whether Trump would directly support the bill, as the president had repeatedly panned the legislation and pushed for more direct discretion on imposing sanctions.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune earlier on Monday said the White House had been working closely with Graham on the measure, telling CNN that he has hopeful.
“It’ll take Democrats and Republicans here in the Senate to do that, but I’m hopeful we can make it happen,” he said.
