Trump breaks from prepared eulogy, says ‘not everybody’ liked late Senator Lindsey Graham

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump on Tuesday, July 28, departed from his prepared remarks while delivering a eulogy for the late Senator Lindsey Graham at Washington National Cathedral, joking that "not everybody" liked the longtime South Carolina Republican.

Trump paid tribute to Graham's decades-long political career, reflected on how their relationship evolved from political rivals to close allies, and highlighted the senator's influence in Washington and on foreign policy. Graham died on July 11 at the age of 71 from a rare cardiovascular condition.

Trump honors Lindsey Graham with humorous tribute

While reading from his prepared remarks, Trump paused after saying that "virtually everyone, Republican or Democrat, liked Lindsey."

"Well, not everybody, but it sounds good. Not everybody," Trump said, drawing laughter. "He was a tough cookie, ok, I have to veer from this for a second."

Trump described the senator as a major figure in American politics, saying he rose "from a small town in rural South Carolina" to become "a constant fixture of American politics at the highest level and a force to be reckoned with all over the world."

The president also reflected on their well-known political rivalry during the 2016 Republican presidential primary before recounting how their relationship changed over time.

"As you remember, Lindsey and I did not exactly get off to the best of starts," Trump said, recalling that Graham had made critical remarks about him during the campaign.

Trump then revisited the episode in which he publicly shared Graham's cellphone number during a campaign event.

"So, naturally, I did something that I shouldn't have done. And I shared his personal cell phone number with the millions of people that happened to be watching that particular day," he said before reciting the number from memory and joking, "if anybody wants to give it a shot."

He added that although the incident overwhelmed Graham's phone for a day, it ultimately marked the beginning of a close friendship.

"But it was Lindsey who had the last laugh because while I blew up his phone all for one day, we became great friends and Lindsey did not stop calling me for the next 10 years."

Trump recalls Lindsey Graham's hawkish foreign policy

Trump also acknowledged Graham's reputation as a strong advocate of an assertive US foreign policy while noting that the senator often pushed for military action abroad.

"He never saw a war that he didn't like," Trump said. "Only his true friends would understand that."

Trump concluded his tribute by describing Graham as "a beloved friend, a devoted brother, a respected statesman, a giant of the United States Senate, and a true American original," before walking past the casket and patting it twice on his way back to his seat.

The funeral drew senior political leaders from the United States and abroad, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, alongside current and former senators, members of Trump's Cabinet, Vice President JD Vance, and members of Graham's family.