President Donald Trump paid an emotional tribute to the late Sen. Lindsey Graham during a phone interview, calling the longtime Republican lawmaker “a great politician” and “a kind man” while revealing details of one of their final conversations.
Trump said Graham remained deeply engaged in legislative priorities until the end, recalling that the senator contacted him after returning from Ukraine to discuss election-related legislation, News.Az reports.
“He came back from Ukraine and he called me… He was very strong on fighting for the SAVE America Act,” Trump said.
The president described Graham as a relentless worker who frequently phoned him to discuss politics.
“He was a worker. He was a total workaholic politician… He was a man of all different abilities, actually, and he was a nice man.”
Trump also praised Graham’s passionate defense of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh during the 2018 confirmation hearings, calling it one of the defining moments in congressional history.
“I think it was one of the top 10 moments in Congress… He saved Brett from a very, very unfair decision.”
Reflecting on their political relationship, Trump noted that Graham initially opposed his 2016 presidential campaign before becoming one of his closest allies. He also referenced Graham’s criticism of him following the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol attack, saying the senator later regretted the remarks.
“I give him a 99.9 instead of 100,” Trump joked, recalling that Graham called him shortly afterward to say he had made “a big mistake.”
Closing the interview, Trump said Graham’s death represented a major loss not only for the Republican Party but for the United States.
“The real loser was the United States of America. We lost a great person, a kind person, a very smart person and a great politician.”
Trump added that flags had been ordered lowered nationwide for a week and said Graham would receive “a special type of funeral because he deserves it.”
“He came back from Ukraine and he called me… He was very strong on fighting for the SAVE America Act,” Trump said.
***
The president described Graham as a relentless worker who frequently phoned him to discuss politics.
“He was a worker. He was a total workaholic politician… He was a man of all different abilities, actually, and he was a nice man.”
Trump also praised Graham’s passionate defense of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh during the 2018 confirmation hearings, calling it one of the defining moments in congressional history.
“I think it was one of the top 10 moments in Congress… He saved Brett from a very, very unfair decision.”
Reflecting on their political relationship, Trump noted that Graham initially opposed his 2016 presidential campaign before becoming one of his closest allies. He also referenced Graham’s criticism of him following the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol attack, saying the senator later regretted the remarks.
“I give him a 99.9 instead of 100,” Trump joked, recalling that Graham called him shortly afterward to say he had made “a big mistake.”
Closing the interview, Trump said Graham’s death represented a major loss not only for the Republican Party but for the United States.
“The real loser was the United States of America. We lost a great person, a kind person, a very smart person and a great politician.”
Trump added that flags had been ordered lowered nationwide for a week and said Graham would receive “a special type of funeral because he deserves it.”
“He came back from Ukraine and he called me… He was very strong on fighting for the SAVE America Act,” Trump said.
***
The president described Graham as a relentless worker who frequently phoned him to discuss politics.
“He was a worker. He was a total workaholic politician… He was a man of all different abilities, actually, and he was a nice man.”
Trump also praised Graham’s passionate defense of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh during the 2018 confirmation hearings, calling it one of the defining moments in congressional history.
“I think it was one of the top 10 moments in Congress… He saved Brett from a very, very unfair decision.”
Reflecting on their political relationship, Trump noted that Graham initially opposed his 2016 presidential campaign before becoming one of his closest allies. He also referenced Graham’s criticism of him following the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol attack, saying the senator later regretted the remarks.
“I give him a 99.9 instead of 100,” Trump joked, recalling that Graham called him shortly afterward to say he had made “a big mistake.”
Closing the interview, Trump said Graham’s death represented a major loss not only for the Republican Party but for the United States.
“The real loser was the United States of America. We lost a great person, a kind person, a very smart person and a great politician.”
Trump added that flags had been ordered lowered nationwide for a week and said Graham would receive “a special type of funeral because he deserves it.”
