U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham’s rocky relationship with Donald Trump is leading some outlets to say South Carolina’s senior senator is unashamedly belittling himself as he strives to remain in the good graces of the Trump voting base.
Speaking before a crowd of South Carolina GOP voters and donors at the Silver Elephant Gala on Saturday featuring Trump as the keynote speaker, Graham warned of the consequences of crossing Trump and joked about how Trump beat him “like a drum.” The senator’s remarks follow a Trump event in Pickens last month, where Graham was booed for several minutes as he tried to appeal to Trump’s supporters.
The series of events led MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough to mock Graham on Monday, suggesting that Graham has reached a new low.
“We found something in common,” Graham said Saturday referring to Trump. “I’ve come to like him, and he likes him, and that gets us through 18 holes of golf.” Graham also warned the crowd to “not screw with (Trump), or you’ll regret it.”
“How could you do that?” Scarborough asked his colleagues on his show while laughing. “I don’t think anything is worth humiliating yourself the way Lindsey does.”
Graham’s latest remarks come as speculations surround a potential Republican challenger in the 2026 Republican primary, when Graham is up for reelection.
South Carolina Congressman Ralph Norman, a Rock Hill Republican, is considering a a bid against Graham, according to Politico, though that decision has not been officially made.
But this isn’t the first time speculations have surfaced surrounding Graham’s ability to hold onto his seat in the face of a challenger.
In 2020, Democrat Jaime Harrison put up a record-breaking fundraising fight against Graham, spurring reports that Graham’s chances for reelection were potentially slim, especially in light of his ongoing support of former President Trump.
Graham, however, prevailed with 54% of the vote, compared to Harrison’s 44% in that race.