Trump Says Lindsey Graham ’Liked War’ Ahead of Senator’s Funeral

By Staff, Agencies

US President Donald Trump said late Senator Lindsey Graham "liked war" and had never seen a conflict he did not support, ahead of attending the senator's funeral on Tuesday.

Speaking to Fox & Friends, Trump recalled asking Graham why he supported military interventions so often, saying, "Lindsey liked war, to be honest with you," and adding that he had "never seen a war that he didn't like."

Graham's office announced on July 12 that the senator died at the age of 71 following a brief illness. A preliminary examination found that the cause of death was an aortic dissection resulting from arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

Trump noted that Graham had returned from Ukraine just hours before his death and acknowledged that the senator wanted the conflict there to continue.

Throughout his political career, Graham was regarded as one of the leading hawks in US foreign policy, consistently advocating tougher sanctions on Russia, a harder line toward Iran and China, and strong support for “Israel”.

On July 13, economist Jeffrey Sachs, director of Columbia University's Center for Sustainable Development, told RIA Novosti that Graham had consistently sought to escalate international conflicts, arguing that there was no conflict he did not wish to intensify.

Graham's death prompted a wide range of reactions online. “Israeli” officials and settlers praised his longstanding support for “Israel”, while critics from around the world accused him of backing policies that fueled conflicts across West Asia and supporting the “Israeli” occupation.