Lindsey Graham pushed Trump to war on Iran, footage shows
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- Lindsey Graham said he 'almost cried' with joy after the U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran began, celebrating the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and calling it a historic moment.
- Lindsey Graham claimed he personally persuaded Donald Trump to go to war against Iran despite opposition from others in Trump’s inner circle, comparing Trump and Netanyahu to Roosevelt and Churchill.
- Lindsey Graham told documentary filmmakers that Trump called the strikes 'the best thing I’ve ever done' and said he 'loves blowing stuff up,' describing Trump as a 'great wartime president.'
- Lindsey Graham offered to lobby Trump to join Israel in bombing Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, proposing joint military action during a phone call with Netanyahu on March 4.
- Benjamin Netanyahu told Graham to delay strikes on Hezbollah, saying Israel was focusing on Iran and that escalating against Lebanon prematurely would remove deterrence leverage.
- Lindsey Graham expressed concern in June about a preliminary ceasefire deal between Trump and Iran, telling filmmakers, 'He’s letting this thing slip away,' and vowing to intervene.
Why it matters: Graham’s behind-the-scenes advocacy reveals direct influence over Trump’s wartime decisions, with material consequences: a major conflict was launched based on close personal lobbying, and further escalation into Lebanon was only paused by Netanyahu’s strategic restraint, not lack of intent.
