After the riot took place on January 6, Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) was very critical of Donald Trump.
Graham, who has been campaigning for Trump during this 2024 cycle, is now backtracking on his comments.
Senator Graham is embedded in the Republican establishment, which is why many found it odd that he and Trump were so close during Trump’s presidency. But ultimately, Graham will flip-flop in a heartbeat if he believes it will help his own career.
So, when pressure was being applied to Donald Trump supporters in Congress after the riot at the Capitol, Graham lamented that this was not how he wanted things to end between himself and Trump. He stated:
“I just think it’s a uniquely bad idea to delay this election. Trump and I, we’ve had a hell of a journey. I hate it to end this way. Oh my God, I hate it. From my point of view, he’s been a consequential president, but today, first thing you’ll see. All I can say is a count me out. Enough is enough.”
He concluded that speech agreeing that Biden had won the election, stating:
“The final thing, Joe Biden. I’ve traveled the world with Joe. I hoped he lost. I prayed he would lose. He won. He’s the legitimate President of the United States. I cannot convince people, certain groups, by my words, but I will tell you by my actions that maybe I above all others in this body need to say this. Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are lawfully elected and will become the President and the Vice President of the United States on January the 20th.”
In addition to those statements, there was also audio of Graham after the fact that made it quite clear he disagreed with Trump on the election…
Graham is now backtracking on the comments he made after the riot, saying that Trump was acting as the president and that he has a “legitimate claim” that Trump was defending the integrity of our elections. Graham, on Sunday, stated:
“Now, if you’re doing your job as president — and January the sixth, he was still president trying to find out if the election, you know, was on the up and up — I think his immunity claim, I don’t know how it will bear out, but I think it’s a legitimate claim.”
Graham also addressed the issue we discussed in our previous report as to what constitutes presidential duties and what does not. He stated:
“They’re prosecuting him for activity around January the sixth. He didn’t break into the Capitol. He gave a fiery speech, but he’s not the first guy to ever do that.
“So at the end of the day, I think this case will not go to trial before the election. I think there are more legal issues around this than you can even imagine about — what can a president do as president? What are the limitations of being president?”
As I have said before, Graham will do whatever it takes to protect his career. When Trump was in office, Graham benefitted from attaching himself to Trump, so that is what he did. After January 6, with Trump out of office, Graham went against Trump because it benefitted him, especially with his old buddy Joe Biden headed to the White House.
With Trump now the frontrunner of the 2024 GOP primary, lawsuits or not, Graham is going to attach himself to Trump and defend him because it benefits Graham to be in Trump’s good graces as well as having the support of MAGA moving forward.
