Graham Praises Trump at UN, Sparks Backlash Across GOP

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., publicly praised President Donald Trump’s address to the United Nations on Tuesday, describing the speech as a forceful message that appears to energize Trump’s supporters. In an interview on Fox News, Graham said, "Trump 2028. I hope this never ends."

Graham also repeated Trump’s assertion that he has ended seven wars, a claim Politifact has labeled mostly false. He called Trump "a cross between P.T. Barnum and Ronald Reagan," praising the president for standing up at the U.N. and telling the world it is. Graham later added on X, "My 7 Word Section to President Trump’s UNGA Speech."

The remarks drew swift responses online, with critics characterizing the praise as overzealous and uncritical, while others noted the broader political dynamic of Republican lawmakers aligning closely with Trump as he seeks to shape the party ahead of another election. The episode highlights tensions within the GOP about loyalty to Trump and how far lawmakers will go to advance his agenda.

Political fact-checkers have reiterated that Trump’s claim of ending seven wars lacks independent corroboration, and analysts say the UNGA setting is being used by Trump to project influence on foreign and domestic policy. Graham’s comments underscore a broader pattern of lawmakers openly praising Trump’s foreign-policy posture while navigating questions about constitutional term limits, given some critics’ concerns about potential extensions of influence beyond a second term.

Observers will watch how Graham and other Republican figures balance public support for Trump with the realities of governance and the competing voices within the party. The dynamic remains central to the current political narrative as lawmakers position themselves for the next electoral cycle and navigate the partisan divide over how far to go in backing Trump’s agenda.