Major Controversies Surrounding Lindsey Graham: A Detailed Timeline
Public opinion and media debates around Lindsey Graham—discover key moments of controversy.
Lindsey Graham is an American politician and attorney who has served as a U.S. Senator for South Carolina since 2003. A Republican, he previously served in the South Carolina House of Representatives (1993-1995) and the U.S. House of Representatives (1995-2003). He chaired the Senate Committee on the Judiciary from 2019 to 2021.
1996: Vote for Defense of Marriage Act
In 1996, Graham voted in favor of the Defense of Marriage Act, a federal law defining marriage as between one man and one woman and denying federal recognition to same-sex marriages.
November 1997: Co-sponsored Resolution to Impeach Bill Clinton
In November 1997, Lindsey Graham co-sponsored a resolution by Bob Barr seeking to launch an impeachment inquiry into President Bill Clinton.
October 8, 1998: Voted in Favor of Impeachment Inquiry
On October 8, 1998, Lindsey Graham voted in favor of legislation to open an impeachment inquiry into President Bill Clinton. He also served as a House impeachment manager in the impeachment trial.
1998: Controversy Over Military Record
In 1998, The Hill newspaper questioned Lindsey Graham's descriptions of his military service on his website, particularly concerning Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Graham clarified that he had never claimed to be a combatant or war hero.
1998: Graham's Stance During Clinton Impeachment
In December 2019, Democrats referenced statements Graham made during the 1998 impeachment of Bill Clinton, including his citation of Richard Nixon as proof that a president who ignored a subpoena should be impeached.
November 2005: Graham amendment passed limiting rights of detainees
In November 2005, an amendment authored by Lindsey Graham to a Department of Defense Authorization Act passed in the Senate, attempting to clarify the authority of American courts and limit the rights of detainees.
2006: Support for Constitutional Amendment Opposing Same-Sex Marriage
In 2006, Graham supported a constitutional amendment against marriage between same-sex couples, affirming his belief in the traditional definition of marriage and aiming to prevent judges from establishing a constitutional right to same-sex marriage.
May 2009: Graham references domestic internment as a model for Guantanamo detainees
In a May 2009 CNN interview, Lindsey Graham referred to the domestic internment of German and Japanese prisoners of war and U.S. Citizens during World War II as a model for domestic detention of Guantanamo detainees.
June 2010: Remarks on Global Warming Science
In June 2010, Graham stated that the science about global warming had changed and that it had been oversold. He also said he planned to vote against the climate bill he had originally co-sponsored.
July 2010: Graham suggests amending birthright citizenship
In July 2010, Lindsey Graham suggested that U.S. citizenship as a birthright guaranteed by the 14th Amendment should be amended, and that children born to illegal immigrants should be considered illegal immigrants.
2010: Thornton Law Firm Partners Contributed to Politicians
Between 2010 and 2014, the Thornton Law Firm's partners and one of their wives contributed $1.6 million to politicians, with $1.4 million being reimbursed to the partners by the firm.
April 3, 2011: Graham suggests limiting freedom of speech regarding Koran-burning
On April 3, 2011, during an appearance on Face the Nation, Lindsey Graham suggested that Congress take action against the Koran-burning by Florida preacher Terry Jones, arguing for limiting some forms of freedom of speech in light of attacks on United Nations personnel.
2013: Graham supports NSA phone record collection
In 2013, in response to disclosures about the United States National Security Agency's global surveillance, Lindsey Graham said he was "glad" the NSA was collecting phone records, stating that he didn't mind Verizon turning over records to the government.
2014: Thornton Law Firm Partners Contributed to Politicians
Between 2010 and 2014, the Thornton Law Firm's partners and one of their wives contributed $1.6 million to politicians, with $1.4 million being reimbursed to the partners by the firm.
June 17, 2015: Graham Responds to Charleston Church Shooting and Confederate Flag Debate
Following the Charleston church shooting on June 17, 2015, Lindsey Graham suspended campaign events and addressed the Confederate flag controversy at the South Carolina State Capitol, acknowledging its divisive symbolism but emphasizing the shooter's personal responsibility for the crime.
July 2015: Clash with Donald Trump
In July 2015, Lindsey Graham, then a presidential candidate, called Donald Trump a "jackass" for criticizing John McCain. Trump retaliated by calling Graham an "idiot" and revealing Graham's personal cellphone number at a campaign rally.
December 2015: Criticism of Trump's Muslim Ban Proposal
In December 2015, Lindsey Graham criticized Donald Trump's proposal to ban Muslims from entering the United States, calling him a "race-baiting, xenophobic, religious bigot."
2015: Statement on Climate Change
In 2015, Graham stated that he accepts that climate change is real, but said he does not know the role human activity played.
2015: Graham and Trump Conflict
In 2015, Lindsey Graham and Donald Trump had a conflict which led to Graham passing his new phone number to Trump after a meeting in March 2017.
February 2016: Graham Calls Trump a 'Kook'
In February 2016, Lindsey Graham called Donald Trump a "kook" and "crazy", deeming him unfit for office.
May 2016: Warning about Trump Nomination
In May 2016, Lindsey Graham tweeted, "If we nominate Trump, we will get destroyed...and we will deserve it."
June 2016: Graham Criticizes Trump's Comments on Judge's Heritage
In June 2016, Lindsey Graham criticized Donald Trump's comments about a judge of Mexican heritage, stating that Trump was "playing the race card" and that his actions were "very un-American". He also suggested that people should reconsider supporting the Republican party if Trump continued this line of attack.
2016: Graham states Supreme Court vacancies should not be filled in a presidential election year
In 2016, after the death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, Lindsey Graham stated that Supreme Court vacancies should never be filled in a presidential election year, setting a precedent for Republicans.
2016: Graham Received Campaign Contributions from Thornton Law Firm
In 2016, reports surfaced that Lindsey Graham was the only Republican recipient of funds from a major Democratic donor, the Thornton Law Firm, which was under scrutiny for questionable campaign donation practices.
October 2017: Graham Calls for Expanded Military Role in Niger After Tongo Tongo Ambush
In October 2017, following the Tongo Tongo ambush that resulted in the death of four U.S. soldiers, Lindsey Graham revealed his unawareness of the presence of a thousand troops in Niger and subsequently called for an expanded U.S. military role in Niger.
January 2018: Graham Recommends Charges Against Christopher Steele
In January 2018, Lindsey Graham and Chuck Grassley made a criminal referral recommending charges against ex-MI6 officer Christopher Steele, the author of the Steele dossier, alleging he lied to federal authorities in the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.
August 2018: Graham Denies Trump is Racist
In August 2018, The Washington Post reported that Lindsey Graham had said, "I have never heard him make a single racist statement. Not even close."
October 2018: Graham says Supreme Court vacancies should wait until the next election
In October 2018, Lindsey Graham stated that if a Supreme Court opening occurred in the last year of President Trump's term, and the primary process had started, the decision should wait until the next election.
2018: Graham opposes delaying Kavanaugh's confirmation hearings
In 2018, during Brett Kavanaugh's Supreme Court confirmation hearings, Lindsey Graham opposed delaying the process due to Christine Blasey Ford's allegations of sexual assault. Graham doubted Ford's recollection after her testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee.
May 14, 2019: Graham Encourages Trump Jr. to Ignore Subpoena
On May 14, 2019, Lindsey Graham faced scrutiny, including from Senator Joe Manchin, after encouraging Donald Trump Jr. to ignore a subpoena from the Senate Intelligence Committee.
May 2019: Graham Calls for Military Invasion of Venezuela
In May 2019, Lindsey Graham advocated for a military invasion of Venezuela with the goal of overthrowing Nicolás Maduro, amidst the Venezuelan presidential crisis.
July 2019: Graham Defends Trump's Statements
In July 2019, Lindsey Graham defended Donald Trump by saying he did not think Trump was racist. Graham stated he did not think that Trump's statements that certain Democratic congresswomen should "go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came" were racist.
October 8, 2019: Graham Condemns Trump's Decision to Withdraw Troops from Syria
On October 8, 2019, Lindsey Graham publicly condemned Donald Trump's decision to withdraw U.S. troops from northern Syria, stating that it put the nation and Trump's presidency at risk and lacked support from key national security advisors.
November 2019: Graham Blocks Senate Resolution on Armenian Genocide
In November 2019, Lindsey Graham initially blocked a Senate resolution aimed at officially recognizing the Armenian genocide.
December 2019: Graham Expresses Bias in Trump Impeachment Trial
In December 2019, Lindsey Graham signaled that he had already made up his mind regarding the impeachment of Donald Trump and would do everything possible to ensure the trial would "die quickly" in the Senate. He stated that he held disdain for the accusations and the process, and did not need any witnesses for the Senate trial.
December 2019: Graham Votes for Resolution Recognizing Armenian Genocide
In December 2019, Lindsey Graham voted in favor of a resolution to officially recognize the Armenian genocide, which subsequently passed the Senate unanimously.
May 2020: Graham says Senate would confirm a Supreme Court nominee before the November election
In May 2020, Lindsey Graham stated that the Senate would work to confirm a Supreme Court nominee if a vacancy arose before the November election, citing the difference between a divided government and unified control.
August 2020: Graham states rules have changed regarding Supreme Court confirmations
In August 2020, Lindsey Graham said that after Kavanaugh's confirmation, "the rules have changed as far as I'm concerned."
September 2020: Graham supports immediate Senate vote on Supreme Court nominee
In September 2020, after the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Lindsey Graham expressed support for the Senate immediately voting on President Trump's nominee to succeed her, reversing his earlier stance.
2020: Graham Supports Challenging Election Results
After major news networks projected that Joe Biden had won the 2020 United States presidential election, Lindsey Graham said that Donald Trump "should not concede" and advocated for challenging the election system. Graham donated $500,000 to Trump's election lawsuits and suggested Republican state legislators could invalidate election results and appoint electors who would vote for Trump.
2020: Graham Discusses Georgia's Vote Counting with Raffensperger
During the 2020 election recount in Georgia, Lindsey Graham contacted Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to discuss the vote counting process. Raffensperger said that Graham inquired whether Raffensperger could disqualify all mail-in ballots in counties with more signature errors, which Raffensperger viewed as a suggestion to throw out legally cast ballots. Graham denied this.
2020: Graham Calls for Investigation of Voting Irregularities
In 2020, after receiving an affidavit by Pennsylvania postal worker Richard Hopkins, Lindsey Graham issued a statement that "all credible allegations of voting irregularities and misconduct be investigated to ensure the integrity of the 2020 elections", including Hopkins's allegations of backdated mail ballots. Project Veritas released Hopkins's affidavit and later released a recording in which Hopkins says that he did not hear his postmaster explicitly discuss backdating ballots, and that Project Veritas wrote his affidavit for him.
January 6, 2021: Graham Condemns Election Denial After Capitol Attack
On January 6, 2021, after the attack on the United States Capitol, Lindsey Graham, along with other members of Congress, was evacuated. Upon reconvening, Graham spoke out against the denials of the election results, stating that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris were lawfully elected and would become the President and Vice President of the United States on January 20th.
February 2021: Investigation into Graham's Call with Raffensperger
In February 2021, The Washington Post reported that Fani Willis, the Fulton County, Georgia district attorney, was examining Lindsey Graham's phone call to Brad Raffensperger as part of a criminal investigation into possible efforts to illegally overturn Georgia's election results.
May 28, 2021: Graham Votes Against January 6 Commission
On May 28, 2021, Lindsey Graham voted against creating the January 6 commission.
July 8, 2021: Criticism of Biden's Afghanistan Withdrawal Decision
On July 8, 2021, Graham called President Biden's decision to withdraw all U.S. troops from Afghanistan, which was originally agreed to by the Trump administration, a "disaster in the making."
August 2021: Report on Graham's Call to Biden After Election
In August 2021, The New York Times reported that Lindsey Graham called Joe Biden days after the election in an effort to revive their friendship and told Biden he had called for a special counsel investigation of Biden's son Hunter during the campaign only to appease Trump supporters among his constituents.
March 3, 2022: Controversial Tweet Regarding Putin
On March 3, 2022, Graham tweeted a suggestion that someone in Russia should assassinate President Vladimir Putin, drawing backlash and condemnation.
August 2022: Statement on Federal Recognition of Same-Sex Marriage
In August 2022, after the House approved a bill to recognize same-sex marriages federally, Graham stated that marriage should be decided at the state level, opposing federal intervention in defining marriage.
September 2022: Graham introduces federal ban on abortion
In September 2022, Lindsey Graham introduced legislation to institute a federal ban on abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy with exceptions for rape, incest, and the life of the patient, reversing his previous stance on states' rights.
2022: Reiterated Support of Defense of Marriage Act
In 2022, Graham reiterated his support for the Defense of Marriage Act.
May 26, 2023: Controversy over Edited Video with Zelenskyy
On May 26, 2023, an edited video released by the Office of the President of Ukraine showed Graham making remarks about Russians dying and American military assistance, sparking criticism and a subsequent release of the unedited video.
May 29, 2023: Russian Arrest Warrant and Response
On May 29, 2023, the Russian Interior Ministry issued an arrest warrant for Graham due to his comments about the war, to which Graham responded with "immense joy" and a willingness to submit to the ICC.
October 10, 2023: Support for Israel and Comments on Gaza War
On October 10, 2023, Graham tweeted his support for Israel during the Gaza war, calling the conflict a "religious war" and suggesting Gaza should be "flattened".
March 9, 2024: Comments on Palestinian Education System
On March 9, 2024, Graham said that Palestinian children have been taught to kill Jews and that the Palestinian school system should be destroyed.
April 2024: Graham Criticizes Trump on Abortion Ban
In April 2024, Lindsey Graham criticized Donald Trump for not supporting a federal abortion ban, leading Trump to express regret for endorsing Graham in his 2020 Senate campaign.
May 1, 2024: Participation in Conference Call with ICC Prosecutor
On May 1, 2024, Graham participated in a conference call with ICC Prosecutor Karim Ahmad Khan where he allegedly made controversial comments regarding potential arrest warrants for Israeli leaders and the court's jurisdiction.
May 8, 2024: Graham Warns Pentagon Against Halting Arms Supply to Israel
On May 8, 2024, Lindsey Graham cautioned the Pentagon against stopping the supply of arms to Israel amidst the Gaza conflict, likening the situation to "Hiroshima and Nagasaki on steroids", sparking controversy and debate, even in the Japanese National Diet.
May 2024: Graham on Accepting Election Results
In May 2024, when asked whether he would accept the results of the presidential election, Lindsey Graham said he would "if there's no massive cheating".
September 2024: Graham Lobbies for Winner-Take-All System in Nebraska
In September 2024, amid concerns about a potential tie in the Electoral College, Lindsey Graham visited Nebraska and lobbied Governor Jim Pillen to call a special session to adopt a winner-take-all vote allocation system, a move endorsed by Trump. This failed due to lack of support in the state senate.
October 2024: Graham Criticizes Harris
In October 2024, Lindsey Graham said Republican voters who supported Kamala Harris were supporting "the most radical nominee in history of American politics". He argued that the Biden-Harris immigration policy was a larger "danger to this country" than Trump's rhetoric.
January 2025: Graham Disagrees with Trump's Actions as President
In January 2025, Lindsey Graham publicly disagreed with several of Donald Trump's initial actions as president, including pardons for January 6 attack participants, the removal of security details for former officials, and the firing of Inspectors General.
June 1, 2025: Graham's Response to Greta Thunberg's Gaza Aid Mission
On June 1, 2025, Graham responded to Greta Thunberg's trip to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza by ship, with a post on X stating, "Hope Greta and her friends can swim!"
August 2025: Claims About Trump Administration Tariffs
In August 2025, Graham claimed that the Trump administration's tariffs on Indian imports of Russian oil were instrumental in bringing Putin to the negotiating table. He was sharply criticized by economist Jeffrey Sachs.
October 2025: Graham's Phone Metadata Obtained by FBI in Arctic Frost Investigation
In October 2025, documents released by Senator Chuck Grassley revealed that Lindsey Graham was among several Republican lawmakers whose phone metadata was obtained by the FBI as part of the Arctic Frost investigation into efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election; Graham announced he would pursue legal action against the Department of Justice, former Special Counsel Jack Smith, and Verizon.
2025: Laura Loomer's Testimony
During a deposition in 2025, Laura Loomer testified that Lindsey Graham was gay, claiming she received this information in confidence from members of President Trump's staff. Graham has denied these claims.
January 2026: Graham Vows to Reimpose Sanctions on Syria After Offensive Against Kurds
In January 2026, following the revocation of the Caesar Act, Lindsey Graham pledged to introduce the Save the Kurds Act and reinstate "crippling sanctions" on the Syrian transitional government and its allies after their offensive against Kurdish areas in Rojava, aiming to prevent a "bloodbath" against U.S. Kurdish allies.
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