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PoliticsTrump omits mention of Lindsey Graham in first speech after senator's death
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Donald Trump's first public speech following the death of Senator Lindsey Graham did not include any reference to the South Carolina Republican. Instead, Trump used the platform to promote an upcoming IndyCar race on the National Mall for America's 250th anniversary. While Trump had praised Graham in Sunday interviews—calling him 'like a member of the family' and lauding his defense of Brett Kavanaugh—by Monday morning on Fox News, he reduced Graham's 23-year Senate career to a single 'bad moment' after the January 6 insurrection, when Graham briefly criticized Trump's election conspiracy claims before recanting. Trump laughed about the incident, giving Graham a '99 instead of a 100.' Fox hosts struggled to redirect Trump to discuss Graham's death, as the president instead focused on his SAVE America Act and complaints about mail-in ballots and California elections. Graham died Saturday night from a torn aorta due to hardening of the arteries.
Source report
Donald Trump's first public address following Senator Lindsey Graham's death made no mention of the South Carolina Republican's passing. Instead, the president used the platform to promote an upcoming IndyCar race.
Speech Details
Speaking on Monday, Trump appeared unperturbed as he advertised the two-day August race scheduled for the National Mall to commemorate America's 250th anniversary. During the address, he:
- Ribbed Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy for being named a three-time world champion in the 90-foot lumberjack speed climb
- Joked with Fox Sports CEO Eric Shanks about anticipated "big ratings"
- Described the event as "an awesome display of American patriotism and raw horsepower, ingenuity"
- Promised "cars at the level that they've never been at before, with cars racing more than 190 miles and even higher than that down Pennsylvania Avenue"
- Positioned the race as a spiritual successor to his UFC 250 fight
"It wasn't exactly designed for that, but what Sean Duffy has done with these incredible, brilliant people is really amazing," Trump said. "It's going to be a sight for the ages."
Graham's Death
Senator Lindsey Graham passed away on Saturday night after what his office described as a "brief and sudden illness." A preliminary medical report released Sunday found that Graham died from a tear in his aorta due to hardening of the arteries.
Trump's Sunday Remarks on Graham
In several interviews on Sunday, Trump was more forthcoming about the senator's death:
- Described Graham as "like a member of the family"
- Called the death "very tough"
- Recalled speaking with Graham on Saturday night after the senator returned from a trip to Ukraine, noting Graham "sounded a little bit tired, but perfect"
- Told CNN: "It's devastating. I thought he was fine. He called me last night. What a terrible loss it is. He was a great politician. He was a natural. There are very few of them."
Trump also praised Graham's impassioned defense of Brett Kavanaugh during his 2018 Supreme Court nomination, calling it "a top ten, maybe a top five, moment in the history of the Senate."
Monday's Shift in Tone
By Monday morning, Trump's tone had shifted markedly. During a call-in to Fox News, he reduced Graham's 23-year Senate career to a single political moment following the January 6 insurrection.
"He had one bad moment, and that was on the Jan. 6 thing when he stood up [and said], 'All right, now I've had it. That's it. I can't do it anymore,'" Trump recalled, laughing. "Then he called me like about 40 minutes later, and he said, 'Did I really say that? I can't believe it.' And he took it back. So I give him a 99 instead of a 100."
At the time, Graham had declared "enough is enough" regarding Trump's 2020 election conspiracy theories, though he later reversed his position when Trump returned to power.
Fox News hosts struggled to redirect the president toward discussing Graham's legacy. Instead, Trump focused on his SAVE America Act and spent the remainder of the broadcast complaining about mail-in ballots and California's elections.
Related reading: Lindsey Graham's Legacy? It's About One Thing Only, and It Isn't Good
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Source
The New RepublicWestern
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Trump Discusses Lindsey Graham's Death, Recalls 'One Bad Moment' on Fox News