What Did Lindsey Graham Really Say To Donald Trump About His Presidency?
Lindsey Graham was one of Donald Trump's biggest supporters all throughout his presidency; up until after the 2020 election results, that is. Trump worked overtime to convince Republican senators Graham and Mike Lee from Utah to overturn President Biden's win, according to "Peril," a new political book released by Bob Woodward and Robert Costa. Graham and Lee gave Rudy Giuliani and John Eastman a chance to convince them to follow through, and even followed up with their own research about the election, but it wasn't enough to convince the two senators to help out, per The Week.
Wanting a second opinion on extra supposed evidence received from Giuliani, Graham went to his chief Judiciary Committee counsel Lee Holmes to confirm his thoughts about the situation. According to "Peril," Holmes "found the sloppiness, the overbearing tone of certainty, and the inconsistencies disqualifying" and told Graham "that the data in the memos were a concoction, with a bullying tone and eighth grade writing." To prove his disgust with the data, Holmes reportedly said, "I can get an affidavit tomorrow saying the world is flat."
Two days after that discussion, on January 6, pro-Trump insurrectionists stormed the Capitol in an attempt to take Trump's presidency back by force. After the sequence of chaotic events passed, Trump and Graham had an uneasy phone call during which some intense words were exchanged. So, what exactly did Graham say to Trump about the state of his presidential legacy?
Lindsey Graham told Donald Trump he messed up his presidency
After the infamous insurrection occurred, Graham scolded Trump and other fellow Republican senators from the Senate floor about the electoral college objections, according to The Week. "Count me out. Enough is enough. I've tried to be helpful," Graham bluntly stated. However, according to The Washington Post, Graham has since changed his demeanor, and even visits Trump at Mar-a-Lago and talks to him "regularly" because he believes that the Republican Party needs him. But that didn't stop Graham from delivering some tough love to Trump about what he was doing to his presidential legacy, which did not go over so well.
Per The Washington Post, Graham told Trump he severely ruined his own presidency. Trump didn't dignify that declaration with a response, but instead abruptly hung up on him. That uncomfortable phone call did not stop Graham from reportedly helping Trump mend fences within his own party, though. In fact, two Republican senators told The Hill about the discussions Graham had with Trump while golfing together over the weekend of September 18. Graham was allegedly trying make things right between Mitch McConnell and Trump.
"Lindsey was with the president this last weekend. From what I understand Trump said something complimentary about Mitch," one GOP senator said. Hopefully Trump will be able to heal some old wounds with his former colleagues, because he's going to need all of their support if he is going to try another presidential run in 2024.