Tag: lindsey graham

‘Lindsey Liked War’: Trump Laughs Off Graham’s Giddiness Over Iran Onslaught

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday recalled Lindsey Graham’s warmongering ways ahead of the late Republican senator’s funeral, while once again threatening to commit more atrocities in Iran if an agreement to stop the war he and Israel started there is not reached soon.

Trump phoned in to Fox News’ “Fox and Friends” morning show to laud his “great friendship” with the senator from South Carolina, who died on July 11 at the age of 71. Previously unreleased video published over the weekend shows Graham jubilant over Trump’s decision to attack Iran in February and saying the president “loves blowing stuff up.”

The president told “Fox and Friends” hosts: “He was very much a hawk, as you would say, on Iran. Lindsey liked war, to be honest with you.”

“I said, you’re a nice guy, how can you like war so much?” the president added. “He was a guy that liked war. I jokingly say – and there’s nothing funny about it – but he’s never seen a war that he didn’t like.”

Graham had pushed for attacking Iran since at least 2010, both for strategic and financial reasons; in March, he boasted that the United States was “gonna make a ton of money” from the war.

While Graham isn’t the only Republican in Congress to make inflammatory comments about Iran – just over the weekend, Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana opined that “sometimes you have to kill a few chickens to scare the monkeys” – he was the most consistent cheerleader for continuing attacks on the Mideast nation.

Trump also discussed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to Washington, DC to attend Graham’s funeral and make the case for continued war on Iran. Netanyahu is Trump’s partner in the illegal war of choice, and is additionally wanted by the International Criminal Court in The Hague for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Graham was accused of incitement to genocide for advocating the total destruction of Gaza.

Moving on during Tuesday’s interview, Trump said that if the Iranian government does not agree to a deal to end the 150-day war, “then I go back and I finish the job.”

Trump and Netanyahu have both been accused of sabotaging negotiations with Iran when agreements seemed nearly at hand.

The president again said he would destroy Iranian bridges and power plants if a deal is not reached soon, his latest in a string of war crime threats that has included an earlier genocidal vow to wipe out the “whole civilization” of Iran.

“I could take out most of their bridges in less than an hour,” Trump claimed on Tuesday. “I could knock out the power plants within one day.”

Keep reading

‘I Almost Cried’: Unreleased Documentary Footage Shows Lindsey Graham Celebrating Start of Iran War

Footage from an unreleased documentary about the late Lindsey Graham shows the notoriously hawkish senator celebrating the start of the US-Israeli war against Iran just days after the bombing campaign started.

“Look what we’ve done here. I almost cried. How long have we been pushing this?” a laughing Graham is heard saying in the footage, released by Alex Holder, a filmmaker granted extensive access to the South Carolina senator in the years leading up to his death.

Graham goes on to say that he spoke with President Trump, who he said was also very happy about the war. “I talked to Trump this morning, he’s jacked, he said, ‘best thing I have ever done.’ He loves blowing stuff up,” he said.

Graham then appeared to take credit for helping convince Trump to launch the war. “There are a lot of people inside who didn’t want to do it, so I had my challenges,” he said, adding that Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu were like “Roosevelt and Churchill.”

Holder also released footage of a phone call between Graham and Netanyahu from early March, during which Graham said he was going to travel to Florida to meet with President Trump to convince him to join Israel’s bombing campaign in Lebanon, but Netanyahu talked him out of it.

“We’re concentrating right now on Iran,” Netanyahu told Graham. “If we tell Hezbollah that we’re going all the way, we threaten them, but if we actually do it, then they have no reason not to go all the way against us. And right now that’s not our interest.”

Graham had a close relationship with Netanyahu and spoke with him frequently and visited Israel often. Holder told The Wall Street Journal that he joined Graham in a trip to Israel and likened his treatment there to how a prime minister or a king would be treated.

Graham was also known as someone who could work with Democrats, and Holder released a call between him and Jake Sullivan, who served as President Biden’s national security advisor.

According to the Journal, Sullivan asked Graham how long the war would last. “In three to four weeks, we’re going to have them in a spot where they start losing control of some cities,” Graham replied. “Get the Arabs more openly involved tomorrow, and then have almost irreversible momentum.”

Keep reading

Remembering Lindsey Graham Not for the Evil He Did But for the Fun He Had Doing It

When Republican South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham died suddenly on Saturday night, July 11, corporate media’s elegiac coverage didn’t just whitewash his record—it illustrated the affinity and symbiosis between the press corps and the politician they were meant to hold to account.

Like corporate journalists, Graham played a key role in cheerleading imperial wars and promoting domestic inequality. And Graham and the media both prioritized the appearance of bipartisanship while normalizing Trump and his politics.

As most of the tributes pointed out, Graham was a “steadfast” hawk (Washington Post, 7/12/26). Like his good friends in the Senate, John McCain and Joe Lieberman, Graham believed in projecting US power militarily across the globe, no matter the human toll, and fiercely backed the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

Many outlets credited him as the key player in overpowering the isolationist faction of the GOP—and Trump’s own vacillations—in launching the current Iran War and continuing US support for Ukraine. And Graham was a key Israel supporter, with far-right Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remembering him as “one of Israel’s greatest friends.” Virtually none in corporate media offered criticism of any of this—unsurprising, given their own cheerleading for these wars.

Graham was a key figure in the political transformation of the Supreme Court, first in helping Senate leader Mitch McConnell block Barack Obama’s nomination of Merrick Garland to fill Antonin Scalia’s seat, then two years later in providing critical support to bolster Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination, faltering after credible accusations of sexual assault from Christine Blasey Ford.

Keep reading

Trump: FBI is ‘Wasting Their Time’ investigating conspiracy theories surrounding Lindsey Graham’s death

President Donald Trump brushed off rising online speculation surrounding the sudden death of Senator Lindsey Graham, stating on Tuesday that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is “wasting their time” if they are investigating foul play or “conspiracy theories” rather than accepting the medical examiner’s preliminary findings of a natural heart condition.

Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office during a bilateral meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, Trump sought to dismiss rumors that the South Carolina Republican was targeted by foreign adversaries. Graham, 71, died suddenly over the weekend after what his office initially described as a brief illness.

A preliminary finding from the Washington, D.C., medical examiner’s office later revealed that his death was caused by an aortic dissection — a tear in the wall of the body’s main artery — linked to cardiovascular disease.

The sudden nature of the tragedy, coming immediately after Graham’s trip to Ukraine where he announced an agreement with the Trump administration to pursue a new package of sanctions against Russia, triggered a wave of unverified claims online.

Speculation intensified after FBI Director Kash Patel announced on Sunday that the bureau was assisting local authorities.

Keep reading

South Carolina Gov. Appoints Darline Graham Nordone to Finish Lindsey Graham’s Term

Gov. Henry McMaster (R-SC) picked Sen. Lindsey Graham’s (R-SC) sister, Darline Graham Nordone, to serve as interim senator, and complete the remainder of her brother’s term.

During a press conference on Monday, McMaster expressed that it was his duty and “honor to name someone to serve in the place” of Graham, whose term runs through the end of the 119th Congress on January 3, 2027. McMaster’s selection of Graham Nordone to take her brother’s seat in the Senate comes after Graham’s office announced on Sunday that he had died at the age of 71 after “a brief and sudden illness.”

“Today, under the law, it’s my duty to and honor to name someone to serve in the place of this irresistible man, this irreplaceable man, this extraordinary man for the remainder of his term,” McMaster said. “Lindsey took care of his little sister in years long departed. It’s my honor to ask his little sister, Darline Graham to finish his work for him now.”

McMaster continued to talk about how prior to having a phone conservation with Graham Nordone regarding her serving out the remainder of her brother’s term, he “had wondered” what she would say and was humbled by her “quickness to see the duty” for her to serve.

Keep reading

Now We Know What Lindsey Graham’s Official Cause of Death Is

The mystery around Sen. Lindsey Graham’s (R-S.C.) sudden death has a medical answer now, and it traces back to a condition that also killed his father.

The DC Medical Examiner’s Office has determined that Graham died of an aortic dissection due to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease. In plain terms, the senator suffered a tear in his aorta caused by hardening and narrowing of the arteries from underlying heart disease. Journalist Bill Melugin was among the first to report the finding.

Heart disease runs in the family. Graham’s father, Florence Graham, died of a heart attack at 68.

The medical examiner’s office noted that the case isn’t fully closed on paper. “The death certificate will be PENDING until all the toxicological and microscopic testing are finalized and at that point the death certificate will be updated to reflect the cause of death and appropriately classify the manner of death,” the office said.

Graham, 71, died on the evening of Saturday, July 11. His office confirmed the news early Sunday morning in a written statement. “On the evening of Saturday, July 11, U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham passed away from a brief and sudden illness,” the statement said. “Senator Graham’s family appreciates prayers at this time and asks for privacy during this incredibly difficult period.” NBC News reported that emergency services were called to Graham’s Washington, D.C., residence for what appeared to be a cardiac event.

Keep reading

Sen. Lindsey Graham Passes Away Unexpectedly at 71 Following “Sudden Illness”

The political world was shocked early Sunday morning by the sudden and completely unexpected passing of longtime South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham. He was 71 years old.

According to an official statement released by his office, the senior Republican Senator passed away on Saturday evening, July 11, after a brief, rapid battle with an undisclosed illness.

The brief statement from his office read:

“On the evening of Saturday, July 11, U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham passed away from a brief and sudden illness. Senator Graham’s family appreciates prayers at this time and asks for privacy during this incredibly difficult period.”

More from NBC News:

Emergency personnel responded to a call for “cardiac arrest” at Graham’s Capitol Hill home on Saturday night, according to police scanner audio obtained by NBC News.

Photographs reviewed by NBC News show that paramedics carried a person on a stretcher from Graham’s home to an awaiting ambulance. Police cars and fire trucks were also on site.

A top staffer to Graham told NBC News early Sunday that there was no indication the lawmaker was feeling unwell prior to his death. He had been scheduled to appear on NBC News’ “Meet the Press” on Sunday.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune paid tribute to a “strong advocate for the United States and a strong ally to freedom-loving countries across the globe,” while South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster said Graham had been “the fiercest of fighters for South Carolina and America—and a loyal and steadfast friend.”

According to South Carolina law, McMaster will appoint someone to fill Graham’s seat until Jan. 3 of next year.

[…]

Graham was fresh off a trip to Kyiv, Ukraine, where he met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday. He had been scheduled to appear on NBC News’ “Meet the Press” on Sunday.

Keep reading

Warmonger Lindsey Graham Attacks Trump as He Seeks to End War in Iran

RINO warmonger Lindsey Graham took a swipe at Trump on Saturday as he attempts to reach a deal to end the war in Iran.

Graham attacked any potential deal, suggesting it would be a surrender that concedes dominance to Iran. “If a deal is struck to end the Iranian conflict because it is believed that the Strait of Hormuz cannot be protected from Iranian terrorism and Iran still possesses the capability to destroy major Gulf oil infrastructure, then Iran will be perceived as being a dominate force requiring a diplomatic solution,” he said, describing the outcome as “a nightmare for Israel.”

“It makes one wonder why the war started to begin with if these perceptions are accurate,” he said. “I personally am a skeptic of the idea that Iran cannot be denied the ability to terrorize the Strait and the region cannot protect itself against Iranian military capability.”

It should be recalled that Graham has been the biggest cheerleader for this war, constantly demanding that Trump escalate offensive operations, expand the scope of the war to include Lebanon, and encouraging South Carolinians to “send their sons and daughters over to the Mideast” to die for his war.

It can be recalled that Graham called for the US to ”go all-in to help Israel finish the job” last year after Israel started the “12-Day War” with Iran. Approximately two weeks later, Trump ordered the Operation Midnight Hammer strikes to take out Iran’s nuclear sites.

Now, Lindsey finally has his war with Iran after Trump launched Operation Epic Fury, killing the Ayatollah in February, and he’s not happy that it’s potentially on the cusp of ending.

President Trump had a conference call scheduled with Gulf leaders on Saturday after saying the US and Iran are “getting a lot closer” to a peace agreement.

Keep reading

Graham on Iran: I Want to “Hurt Them More” by Wrecking Oil Industry

Israel-First GOP Senator Lindsey Graham wants President Trump to order more bombing of Iran’s civilian infrastructure and to “hurt them more,” and apparently doesn’t care that Republicans might well lose the midterms because of Trump’s growing unpopularity, largely because of the war in Iran.

As well, Graham told Meet the Press hostess Kristin Welker that Trump is comparable to Winston Churchill because of the president’s telling a reporter he doesn’t much care about Americans’ financial woes, and instead only cares about Israel and Iran’s supposedly obtaining a nuclear device.

Graham said he’d happily “give up” both houses of Congress to keep Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

Keep reading

Sen. Graham Urges Trump to Renew US Strikes on Iran

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., on Sunday called on President Donald Trump to renew U.S. military strikes on Iran, arguing that a stalled ceasefire and a closed Strait of Hormuz are strengthening Tehran while inflicting economic pain at home.

“I think the status quo is hurting us all,” Graham told NBC News’ “Meet the Press,” framing continued military pressure, not negotiation, as the faster route to ending the war.

Graham’s appeal landed at a stalemate.

U.S.-Iran talks, mediated by Pakistan, have been suspended since both sides rejected each other’s latest proposals, and no permanent peace deal has been reached since the two countries announced a ceasefire last month.

Graham said the impasse only benefits Tehran.

“The longer the [Strait of Hormuz] is closed, the more we try to pursue a deal that never happens, the stronger Iran gets,” he said.

The senator, a leading proponent of Trump’s military campaign, urged the president to “weaken them further.”

He credited the administration’s strikes as “amazing, militarily.” But, he said, “there’s more targets to be had.”

Graham added that nothing in the conflict so far suggests Iran’s leadership has abandoned what he called the regime’s goal “to terrorize the world, destroy Israel, come after us.”

The closed strait, which before the war carried more than a fifth of the world’s energy supply, has driven oil prices rising higher since the conflict began on Feb. 28.

As of Friday, the average U.S. price of unleaded gas was above $4.50 a gallon, up 51% since the war started.

Graham argued that pressure would ease with force, telling moderator Kristen Welker, “Gas prices will come down when you put Iran in a box.”

Tehran has signaled little appetite for compromise.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Friday that Iran has “no trust” in the U.S. and would negotiate only if Washington is serious, citing “contradictory messages” from American officials.

The diplomatic freeze coincided with Trump’s return from a multiday summit in China, where he met President Xi Jinping.

Trump told Fox News’ Bret Baier he had not asked Beijing for help on Iran. “If he wants to help, that’s great, but we don’t need help,” Trump said, adding that accepting help invites obligations in return.

The dispute carries domestic political stakes.

Keep reading