Former President Donald Trump issued one of his strongest foreign-policy warnings to date, declaring that any country conducting business with Russia “will be very severely sanctioned.” His statement comes as Republican lawmakers advance legislation that would impose sweeping economic penalties—including unprecedented 500% tariffs—on nations that continue trading with Moscow despite its ongoing aggression in Ukraine.

Trump emphasized that the pressure campaign may soon expand even further. “We may add Iran to the formula,” he said, signaling a potential escalation that would target two of America’s most destabilizing adversaries simultaneously. With Tehran deepening its military partnership with Moscow and fueling regional conflict from Gaza to Lebanon, the move would represent a decisive alignment of U.S. policy against the world’s most active state sponsors of terrorism and warfare.

Republican leaders have framed the sanctions package as a necessary corrective to years of weak enforcement and fragmented diplomacy. The proposed bill would isolate Russia economically, disrupt its wartime supply chains, and penalize nations—chiefly China, Turkey, and certain Gulf and African states—that continue to funnel goods, technology, and revenue into Vladimir Putin’s war machine. Trump’s backing gives the legislation both political weight and strategic clarity: the United States will not tolerate financial lifelines to Moscow.

Supporters argue that Trump’s stance restores the deterrence doctrine that defined his first term, when adversaries understood that hostile behavior carried real consequences. His comments also reflect a broader shift toward consolidating U.S. pressure against the Russia-Iran axis—a coalition that threatens American interests, Israeli security, and global stability. For pro-Israel observers, the inclusion of Iran is especially critical, given Tehran’s support for Hezbollah, Hamas, and other terrorist organizations operating along Israel’s borders.

The proposed sanctions plan has already triggered international debate. Some countries warn of economic retaliation, while others privately acknowledge that Trump’s return to a hard-power approach will force strategic recalculations. For Trump and his allies, that is precisely the point: to end the era of ambiguity and send a message that the United States will confront aggression with overwhelming economic force.

As global tensions continue to rise, Trump’s declaration signals that Washington—under Republican leadership—is prepared to wield its full economic arsenal. For nations still choosing to stand with Moscow or Tehran, the warning is clear: the cost is about to skyrocket.