Trump revealed one of Graham’s biggest achievements before his untimely passing.
President Donald Trump paid tribute Sunday to the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, saying the South Carolina Republican’s passionate defense of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh during the 2018 confirmation hearings was the defining moment of Graham’s long career in the U.S. Senate.
During a phone interview on CNN’s State of the Union, Trump reflected on Graham’s decades of public service and pointed to his support for Kavanaugh as one of the most memorable moments in modern Senate history.
“I think his finest moment was standing up for Brett Kavanaugh, who’s a terrific guy,” Trump said.
Trump said Kavanaugh endured extraordinary political scrutiny during the confirmation process and praised Graham for speaking forcefully in his defense when the nomination faced intense opposition.
The 2018 confirmation hearings drew national attention after Christine Blasey Ford accused Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her when they were teenagers. Kavanaugh denied the allegation, and after an FBI background review and weeks of public testimony, the Senate voted to confirm him to the U.S. Supreme Court.
During the hearings, Graham sharply criticized Senate Democrats, arguing they were treating Kavanaugh unfairly and attempting to derail the nomination. He also said the confirmation battle was among the most troubling political proceedings he had witnessed during his years in Congress.
Graham noted that he had previously voted to confirm liberal Supreme Court Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan, saying he believed judicial nominees should receive a fair confirmation process regardless of political differences.
Trump said Graham’s emotional remarks became a turning point in the confirmation fight.
“He spoke from the heart because he believed in Brett,” Trump said. “It completely changed the momentum. He was really amazing.”
The president also ranked Graham’s speech among the greatest moments in Senate history, saying it remains one of the chamber’s most memorable debates.
Kavanaugh was confirmed to the Supreme Court on Oct. 6, 2018, by a 50-48 Senate vote and continues to serve as an associate justice.
Beyond the confirmation battle, Trump praised Graham’s effectiveness as a senator, saying he possessed a rare ability to communicate with lawmakers from both political parties.
“There was no better advocate,” Trump said. “If I had a difficult issue involving a Democrat, Lindsey could often work it out. That’s something very few Republicans could do.”
Graham’s office announced early Sunday that the longtime senator died Saturday evening following what it described as a brief and sudden illness. He was 71 years old. Additional details about the cause of death were not immediately released.
Trump also shared details about what became one of his final conversations with Graham. The senator had recently returned from a trip to Ukraine and called the president Saturday evening.
“He sounded full of energy,” Trump recalled. “He said he was tired from the long trip, but otherwise he seemed fine.”
The conversation now stands as one of Graham’s final known phone calls before his unexpected passing.
For many Republicans, Graham’s legacy will be remembered not only for his decades in the Senate but also for his close partnership with President Trump, his influential role on national security issues, and his outspoken defense of conservative judicial nominees. His leadership during the Kavanaugh confirmation battle remains one of the defining moments of his public career and continues to be remembered as a pivotal chapter in recent Supreme Court history.
