Lindsey Graham knew good from evil — and stood up – Latest News
“You dumb sonofabitch. You have a perfectly good job and now this?”
This was the tongue-in-cheek, sort and supportive call I obtained from Sen. Lindsey Graham once I agreed to be nominated to change into America’s seventieth Secretary of State.
That greeting was traditional Lindsey — humorous and heat, encouraging and humble. He then turned to severe business, including: “You’ll be great and I’ll be with you every step of the way. We have a lot of work to do.”
And he was with me. Even after we had completely different judgments, he at all times helped me navigate powerful issues, whether or not overseas or in Washington. I later realized that Sen. Graham had been amongst those that instructed to President Trump that he select me as secretary of state back in 2018. I might be without end grateful for his advocacy for me and for his important help within the successes we had in that first time period.
I first met Sen. Graham when he and Sen. John McCain and Sen. Joe Lieberman had been sort enough to incorporate me — a junior backbench congressman from Kansas — on their journey to the Munich Security Conference.
We spent hours in dialog about American management and security. Lindsey shared his experiences freely and welcomed challenges to his concepts.
He labored — tirelessly — for South Carolina and for the United States.
He was a true patriot.
And he was fierce.
When I feel of service to a trigger, it’s troublesome to think about a higher model than Sen. Graham. The probability to watch him up close has benefited me significantly.
Sen. Lindsey Graham assembly with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv on June 10, 2026. Ukrainian Presidential Press Office through AP
He understood that America’s security is determined by huge power and reasoned judgments.
In the aftermath of the mass homicide on Sep. 11, 2001, he was clear-eyed concerning the need to construct a counterterrorism structure to guard us from radical Islam, and was instrumental in forging the phobia prevention measures which have protected us for nearly 25 years.
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When our authorities failed to guard American lives — whether or not in Benghazi in Libya or at Abbey Gate in Afghanistan — he was relentless in his efforts to carry authorities officers accountable.
When Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine in 2014 and again in 2022, there was no equivocation from Sen. Graham.
Graham holding a press convention during his journey to Ukraine on June 10, 2026. AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky
Even when challenged by his own get together, Lindsey knew good from evil and stood with the Ukrainian people — proper up to the very eve of his passing, when he returned from one more journey there.
That’s as a result of he knew in his bones that defeating Putin mattered not solely to the Ukrainian people, however to each American.
In the Middle East, he fought tirelessly to protect America’s pursuits, to keep up our relationship with Israel, and to construct on the Abraham Accords to carry the rights-respecting nations of the area nearer collectively.
And whereas Sen. Graham spent a good half of his time and vitality on strengthening America’s national security, he was a actual pressure for good in defending the total vary of American freedoms right here at home as nicely.
Shepherding constitutional nominees by the Senate; defending the rights of lawful gun house owners as a result of he noticed what disarmed populations can endure all over the world; and advocating tirelessly for the appropriate of each American to talk freely and observe their religion unimpeded by the federal government — these had been very a lot on his coronary heart and the main focus of his work.
He labored with all comers on these causes, Democrats and Republicans alike, if it superior the nation’s most elementary truths. And this wasn’t simply rhetoric: He delivered on every of his commitments to our nation’s well-being.
With the passing of Sen. Graham, his household has misplaced somebody who cherished them deeply. The Senate has misplaced a believer in that physique’s important position in preserving democracy. Our nation has misplaced a great patriot and warrior. And I’ve misplaced a good friend and mentor whose kindness to me was immeasurable.
May the Lord bless him and the nation that he cherished a lot.
Mike Pompeo was US secretary of state from 2018 to 2021.
