Trump Reflects on Lindsey Graham’s Legacy Following His Death

President Donald Trump remarked on Sunday that the late Senator Lindsey Graham’s defense of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh during Kavanaugh’s contentious 2018 confirmation hearing was a “great moment” for Graham, a Republican from South Carolina. This came in light of Graham’s unexpected passing on Saturday.

In a phone interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper, Trump stated, “I think his greatest moment was defending Brett Kavanaugh, who is a great man.” He recalled how Kavanaugh had passionately challenged Senate Democrats during his appearance before the Senate Judiciary Committee in September 2018.

Sen. Lindsey Graham dies at age 71 after a ‘short and sudden’ illness, authorities say

Trump reflected on the unfair treatment he and Kavanaugh faced from Democrats, emphasizing that such treatment was among the worst he had witnessed. “I’ve never seen anything like this. Probably the worst treatment I’ve ever seen. And that includes me,” he said, adding a touch of humor by pondering if it might not be as bad as his own experience.

During the hearing, Christine Blasey Ford accused Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her as a teenager, a claim Kavanaugh denied. Graham took the opportunity during questioning to accuse the Democrats of attempting to destroy candidates’ lives and keep Supreme Court seats vacant.

“All you want to do is ruin this man’s life, keep this seat open, and hope you win in 2020. You said that, not me. You have nothing to apologize for,” Graham stated at that time.

Tina Fey praises Matt Damon’s Brett Kavanaugh parody on ‘SNL’ as ‘perfectly executed’

Graham described the confirmation struggle as “the most unethical fraud” he’d seen throughout his political career. He even conveyed a personal message, saying, “When you see Ms. Sotomayor and Ms. Kagan, please tell them that Lindsay said hello because I voted for them.” He argued that, unlike how they treated Kavanaugh, he would have never acted that way toward them.

President Trump acknowledged that Graham’s passionate intervention was pivotal in shifting the dynamics of the confirmation process. “It was a great performance. He did it from the heart. He had strong feelings for Brett, and that turned everything around. He was really great,” Trump expressed.

South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, who rose from a small town to become a Republican power broker, has died at the age of 71.

Trump lauded Graham’s remarks as one of the most significant moments in Senate history, stating that it deserved to be revisited. “I think this was a top 10, probably top 5 moment in the history of the Senate,” he said, suggesting it should be shown again.

The Senate confirmed Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court on October 6, 2018, by a tight vote of 50-48. Kavanaugh remains on the court today.

Trump further described Graham as a skilled senator capable of negotiating with Democrats in ways that other Republicans often struggled to do. “I couldn’t have asked for a better advocate. He was a great advocate in the Senate and was able to do things that other people could not,” Trump said.

Mr. Graham passed away Saturday night after a “short, sudden illness,” his office announced early Sunday, without providing further details. He was 71 years old. Trump revealed that Graham had called him on Saturday night after returning from a trip to Ukraine, describing him as someone full of energy despite feeling tired from the long journey. “He was in good spirits,” Trump noted, reflecting on their last conversation.