The Juicy Rumor Lindsey Graham Tried To Deny But Won't Go Away

Lindsey Graham may be best known for his long career as a Republican lawmaker, but the South Carolina senator's personal life has also landed him in the news. Rumors about Graham's love life and sexuality have been around for years, but they gained renewed strength after the 2024 election cycle, thanks to right-wing provocateur and close Donald Trump ally Laura Loomer, of all people. "When is Lindsey coming out of the closet? We all know you're gay, Lindsey ... and that's ok," she wrote on X (formerly Twitter) in September 2024 (via Advocate).

She doubled down on her claims in her August 2025 deposition against HBO host Bill Maher, when his attorney questioned her about the post. "I called him 'gay,'" Loomer said in court (via Advocate). "It's well-known. Several of President Trump's staff have told me in confidence that — that Lindsey Graham is gay." But Loomer is far from the only one to have made similar claims. Comedian Chelsea Handler had teased Graham about his supposed sexual orientation way back in 2018.

"If you're wondering why Republicans took a sick day today, it's probably because it's #NationalComingOutDay. Looking at you @LindseyGrahamSC," she posted on X. On that occasion, Graham didn't stay quiet. "To the extent that it matters, I'm not gay," he told TMZ. Much to his dismay, he was never able to stop the jokes about his sexuality that had plagued him for quite a while, although he tried. "I know it's really gonna upset a lot of gay men ... but I ain't available. I ain't gay. Sorry," he told The New York Times in 2010. But the rumors never really died down, and they don't seem to be going away any time soon. 

One of the facts that has allowed the rumors about Lindsey Graham's sexuality to flourish is that he has never been married. In fact, the truth about Graham is that he's never had any public relationships. But he has long claimed that his unmarried status has nothing to do with his sexuality. "The opportunity never presented itself at the right time, or I never found time to meet the right girl, or the right girl was smart enough not to have time for me," he wrote in his 2015 memoir, "My Story" (via Politico).

Graham did suggest that he would have liked to have settled down. "I haven't been lucky that way," he wrote. Romantic relationships didn't seem to play an important role in his life story. In his book, he described only two girlfriends he had in his 20s. One was a woman named Carol, a JAG officer from his time in the Air Force. Graham referred to her as a "great lawyer ... and we had a blast together." The other was a flight attendant named Sylvia, whom he nearly proposed to.

However, the relationship ended when she returned home to Vienna, Austria. "I was a South Carolina boy who needed to go home," he shared. Graham's marital status was highlighted when he ran for president in 2015. After all, he would have joined a select group of only two U.S. presidents who were elected to office as bachelors. But Graham tried to downplay the issue. "Having a marriage and a good family and children is a blessing. But I don't think I'm a defective person by any means," he told Politico.