Sen. Lindsey Graham is memorialized in Washington, D.C.
Family members and members of Congress gathered in the Capitol Rotunda to pay their respects to the late Sen. Lindsey Graham.
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump described Lindsey Graham as “a man who loves war” ahead of the hawkish senator’s funeral in Washington, characterizing the Republican as eager to harness America’s military power.
“I’ll be honest with you, I mean, Lindsay loved going to war with you,” Trump said in an interview on Fox & Friends. “He was a man who loved war,” Trump added with a laugh. “He’s never seen a war he didn’t like.”
Trump made the comments hours before he was scheduled to deliver a eulogy at Graham’s funeral in the nation’s capital, prompting a visit to Washington by the leaders of Israel and Ukraine and a vote on Russia sanctions legislation.
Trump said in the interview that Graham had changed his stance on the Iran war and supported a deal to end the conflict, but wanted to continue arming Ukraine in the fight against Russia. Mr. Graham has been combative in his support for Ukraine, the president said.
Fox & Friends co-host Ainsley Earhart fired back, pointing out that Graham’s sister Darling defended her brother against similar characterizations during a conversation with Fox host Sean Hannity.
“He didn’t like war, he loved peace and the end of war. But sometimes war is necessary,” Earhart said.
When Earhart moved on to her next question, Trump did not respond. President Trump has endorsed Darling Graham for his brother’s Senate seat.
President Trump began the interview by calling Graham a “great statesman” and a great gentleman. He stated that their relationship “started out on a bit of a rocky side” before developing into a great friendship.
How politicians around the world reacted to Lindsey Graham’s death
Democrats, Republicans, and international politicians reacted to Lindsey Graham’s death.
“He really became like a family member in a way, and he was a very special person,” Trump said.
Mr. Trump and Mr. Graham developed a close relationship, with the senator regularly advising Mr. Trump on foreign affairs in later years. However, they did not always have such a good relationship.
Mr. Graham briefly ran against Mr. Trump for the Republican presidential nomination in 2016, but refused to endorse Mr. Trump, calling him “unfit to be president.” He also clashed with President Trump over his attack on the late Arizona senator John McCain, a prisoner of war who was tortured in Vietnam. Mr. McCain was one of Mr. Graham’s longest and closest friends.
The two remained close during President Trump’s first term, often playing golf together, but they broke up again after the January 6, 2021 riot at the U.S. Capitol. Graham later supported Trump’s return to the White House in 2024, supporting him over fellow South Carolinian Nikki Haley in the Republican primary.
