Hegseth's Lindsey Graham impression goes wrong: 'It always devolves into a Trump accent'

WASHINGTON, DC: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s attempt to imitate late Sen Lindsey Graham’s voice fell apart during a ceremony honoring the South Carolina Republican.

“I can’t do Lindsey Graham's accent. It always devolves into a Trump accent,” Hegseth admitted after abandoning the gruff impression.

The awkward moment came as officials unveiled the renaming of Joint Base Charleston in Graham’s honor on Monday, August 10. 

Pete Hegseth abandons his Lindsay Graham impression

Hegseth began by recalling Graham’s voice and the way he would say “gentlemen.”

He then shifted into a gruff voice for the impression before quickly giving up.

“I’ll never forget his accent. He sat there and he said, ‘gentlemen,’” Hegseth said before acknowledging that he could not reproduce Graham’s accent.

Graham spoke with typical “South Carolina drawl,” with a Charleston City Paper description noting that the accent often dropped “R-sounding syllables.” 

Hegseth’s own admission made clear that his version did not sound like Graham’s.

Independent journalist Aaron Rupar later dubbed the attempt “the worst Lindsey Graham impression of all time,” turning the brief moment into the most colorful part of the ceremony.

Pete Hegseth ties tribute to defense spending

The ceremony was also used to make a much larger case for military spending, with Hegseth urging Congress to approve a $1.5 trillion defense package.

“There could be no greater tribute that Congress could give than to invest in our warriors for the full $1.5 trillion,” Hegseth said.

He said the proposed spending would represent a “historic, generational investment” for the nation’s military. 

Hegseth also pushed for roughly $1 trillion in fiscal 2027 spending to cover the costs of the Iran war and other defense needs.

“As we gather here today, the War Department is seeking a historic, generational investment of $1.5 trillion for America’s warriors,” Hegseth said.

The defense secretary said Graham himself had praised the budget during a conversation in his office, quoting the late senator as saying, “This is the best military budget I’ve seen since I’ve been in Congress.”

Lindsay Graham's legacy remains tied to Iran

Hegseth also credited Graham with helping “break recruiting records” and with “taking back the department from the ‘wokesters.’”

He also thanked Graham for “making sure that Iran never has a nuclear weapon.”

Graham was described by colleagues as one of the most influential voices in Washington on foreign policy. 

He had advised President Trump on the Iran war and Russia and had pushed for years for direct confrontation between Washington and Tehran.

The ceremony brought together Hegseth, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and South Carolina lawmakers for the unveiling of the renamed military installation.