US President Donald Trump said he is "very strongly" considering the option of giving the nod to Congress to pass a bill that would impose new sanctions against Russia, EDnews reports, citing Politico.

"The Senate is passing <…> very tough sanctions. They pass it totally at my option <…> I’m looking at it," he said at a cabinet meeting when a reporter asked whether he would sign the bill. "I’m looking at it very strongly."

Asked how the US plans to act against Russia, Trump replied, "I wouldn’t be telling you. Don't we want to have a little surprise?"

US Senator Lindsey Graham, a Republican representing South Carolina (included on Russia’s list of terrorists and extremists) recently said Trump agreed that Congress should pass a bill to introduce new sanctions against Russia. Graham expects the Senate to consider the bill in July.

The bill was introduced in early April by a bipartisan group of senators led by Graham and Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat representing Connecticut. The proposal provides for such measures as secondary sanctions against Russia’s trading partners, for example, tariffs of 500% on imports to the US from countries that purchase oil, gas, uranium and other goods from Russia.