THE BREAKDOWN: Following the sudden death of South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham at age 71 on July 11, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu revealed that the lawmaker once fiercely rejected a proposal to taper U.S. military aid to Israel down to zero.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu revealed Sunday morning that the late U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham once fought him fiercely over American military aid, flatly rejecting a proposal to eventually taper the funding down to zero.
Speaking on FOX & Friends Weekend, Netanyahu detailed the behind-the-scenes pushback he received from the South Carolina lawmaker during negotiations for the multi-year military aid packages that Israel receives from the United States. According to the Prime Minister, Israel has consistently received this support through successive American administrations, including a 10-year Memorandum of Understanding negotiated across the Clinton, Obama, and Trump presidencies.
Netanyahu stated that during one negotiation, he drew a line on the budget, telling Graham, “Okay, this is what we need. We don’t need any more.”
According to the Prime Minister, Graham responded, “Yes, you do.”
Netanyahu recalled telling the senator, “Lindsey, we don’t need any more,” to which Graham reportedly replied, “No, I’m going to go over your head to the Senate because I think you need more on missile defense.” Netanyahu noted that Graham successfully bypassed him to secure extra funding “once or twice.”
The disagreement peaked during their most recent conversation on the matter. Netanyahu said he told the senator that Israel’s economy had grown strong enough to handle its own defense spending.
“Lindsey, we’ve come of age,” Netanyahu said he told Graham. “We have a robust economy. We can take care of financing our own weapons for the defense of Israel and the defense of our common interests with America. So I’m going to phase out the military support for Israel over a period of years and bring it down to zero. We can do it.”
Netanyahu stated that Graham “went ballistic” at the suggestion, telling him, “No way. You can’t do that.”
The Prime Minister framed the confrontation as evidence of the senator’s deep commitment to Israeli security, which Graham viewed as tied directly to American security interests. Netanyahu concluded by saying the exchange “tells you what kind of person this extraordinary, extraordinary friend was.” Netanyahu added in a separate official statement that Israel had “lost one of its greatest friends.”
The disclosure came in the wake of Graham’s sudden passing on July 11 at the age of 71. A statement posted to the Republican lawmaker’s official social media account noted that he passed away from a brief and sudden illness. The statement added, “Senator Graham’s family appreciates prayers at this time and asks for privacy during this incredibly difficult period.”
Graham’s death ends the career of a longtime conservative fixture in the Senate who was widely recognized as one of President Donald Trump’s closest political allies and a stark foreign policy hawk. Over more than three decades in Washington, Graham was central to major legislative packages, including his recent work shepherding the One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act through Congress as the chairman of the Senate Budget Committee.
Vice President JD Vance focused on Graham’s grit and sharp political maneuvering, describing the lawmaker’s trajectory from humble beginnings to the height of Washington power as “a fundamentally American one” in a detailed reflection posted to X on Sunday morning.
Vance highlighted Graham’s unique approach to legislative combat, recalling a personal experience from early in his own Senate tenure.
“I remember getting into a shouting match with Lindsey about a Ukraine funding bill at lunch and then learning the very next day that he was pushing rail legislation I really cared about behind the scenes,” Vance wrote. “That was Lindsey Graham. He fought like hell for the things he believed in, and he was just as willing to go to bat for you when it counted.”
Vance also emphasized Graham’s famous humor and deep commitment to the Republican Party. “Lindsey had the best sense of humor in the Senate. He loved the game of politics,” Vance noted, quoting Graham’s own blunt philosophy on party unity: “I don’t care if you’re an isolationist or a religious fanatic, so long as you have an R next to your name, I want you to win.”
Former President Donald Trump also paid tribute on social media, calling the South Carolina senator “one of the greatest people and Senators I have ever known.” Trump added, “He was always working, and was a true American Patriot. Lindsey will be greatly missed!!!”
Graham had been scheduled to make his 64th appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday morning. Moderator Kristen Welker offered condolences on social media, stating, “We are sending our deepest condolences to his family and colleagues.” Welker also announced that President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu would appear on the program to share personal reflections on Graham’s life and legacy.
Meghan McCain, a longtime family friend and daughter of the late Arizona Senator John McCain, shared her own memories of the lawmaker. Graham, John McCain, and the late Senator Joe Lieberman were close friends who famously referred to themselves as “The Three Amigos.”
“My Dad was the soul of the group, Joe was the heart of the group and Lindsey was the fire and humor,” McCain wrote on social media, calling the trio’s bond “rare” and “nearly extinct.” She described Graham as “always the person you hoped you sat next to at a dinner party,” calling him “charming, very, very, very funny – like so funny he truly could have had a career in stand up comedy.”
McCain noted that Graham was a constant source of support for her mother, Cindy McCain, following John McCain’s death in 2018, though she acknowledged their own relationship grew complex in later years due to Graham’s close political alignment with Trump. “The news of his sudden passing is shocking and deeply saddening for me and my family,” McCain stated.
An Air Force veteran and former state legislator, Graham entered the U.S. House of Representatives following the 1994 elections and was elected to the Senate in 2002, succeeding Strom Thurmond.
Throughout his career, Graham focused heavily on national defense and foreign policy. In a June appearance on CBS News’ “Face the Nation,” Graham stated that the U.S. would “obliterate” the Islamic Republic if Iran contested control of the Strait of Hormuz. Graham also remained a key defender of aid to Ukraine, sticking by the position even as others in the GOP grew skeptical. He had just returned from a trip to Kyiv, where he met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on July 10 to discuss air defense needs and a Russian sanctions bill.
The senator’s death introduces immediate practical shifts to the chamber’s balance of power. The Senate is scheduled to return on Monday, July 13, after a two-week recess. Graham’s passing leaves a vacancy in the Republicans’ 52-47 majority, which faces additional constraints as former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has been hospitalized since June 14.
Under the terms of the 17th Amendment, state governors are authorized to make temporary appointments to fill Senate vacancies until a special election is held. South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster is expected to appoint a temporary successor to fill Graham’s seat.
In a statement posted to X, McMaster called Graham “the fiercest of fighters for South Carolina and America,” adding that “Lindsey Graham is irreplaceable.”
Other colleagues expressed similar sentiments. Senate Majority Leader John Thune stated that “numerous presidents and heads of state have relied on his counsel,” noting that Graham’s influence on the judiciary, national defense, and South Carolina would be felt for generations.
Senator Mike Lee said he would miss Graham’s “infectious laugh, quick wit, and enthusiasm for life,” while Senator Roger Wicker, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, concluded that Graham “can be succeeded in office but he cannot be replaced.”
READ: FBI Steps In After Senator Lindsey Graham Dies Suddenly At 71 Following Ukraine Trip
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