On Tuesday, Sen. Graham joined the minority opposing a bill providing tens of billions of dollars in aid to Ukraine and Israel. The senator was widely criticized for his vote, which flew in the face of pro-Ukraine comments he made in the past.
Making excuses
Graham justified his vote by complaining that the bill failed to deal with the situation at the southern border. However, Republicans were responsible for killing a bipartisan border deal that would have attempted to address that very situation.
Standing out
“No politician these past 8 years has emasculated themselves more than this one has,” Joe Walsh declared. Walsh, a former Illinois congressman and conservative radio host, has been one of the most outspoken conservative critics of Trump and MAGA.
Change of heart
“This man literally went to Kyiv 9 months ago and told Zelensky and Ukranians, with a straight face, ‘I will continue to stand with and for Ukraine’s freedom until every Russian soldier is expelled from Ukranian territory,’” Arnaud Castaignet said. “Until Trump tells him not to,” Castaignet added.
Pro-Trump
“Donald Trump was my friend before the riot,” Graham said in March 2021. “And I’m trying to keep a relationship with him after the riot. Uh, I still consider him a friend.… I want us to continue the policies that I think will make America strong. I believe that the best way for the Republican Party to do that is with Trump, not without Trump.”
Different person
“An incredible transformation that would have left his late friend John McCain aghast,” journalist Michael Weiss said. “Graham said backstage at an event I moderated in 2016 that he could not understand why the GOP didn’t just kick Trump out of the party.”
Repeatedly ridiculed
Graham has repeatedly been criticized for his willingness to defend Trump. In March 2023, a clip of Graham passionately asking conservatives to “help” Trump by voting and donating money went viral, with MSNBC host Joe Scarborough ridiculing Graham for “tearing up.”
Embarrassing
“Lindsey knows what a bad man Donald Trump is. Lindsey is the one who said, ‘If we make him our nominee, he’ll destroy the Republican party and we deserve it,’” Scarborough laughed. “Lindsey almost crying there — that reminded me of Oral Roberts climbing up into his tower in the ’80s, saying, ‘Give me $3 million or I’m not coming down from this tower.'”
Bad look
“For those who think our allies aren’t watching,” Retired General Mark Hertling said, “and are disgusted by the hypocrisy of US elected officials.”
The bill
The foreign aid bill passed the Senate on Tuesday by 70 votes to 29. It would disburse a total of $95 billion, with $60.1 billion for Ukraine, $14.1 billion for Israel, and $10 billion for humanitarian aid for civilians trapped in conflict zones.
Trump opposes
While top Republicans like Mitch McConnell support the bill, Trump strongly opposes it. He argued it was “stupid” for the US to send foreign aid, and suggested Russia should “do whatever the hell they want” to NATO members that fail to fund their own defense.
Principled opposition
Some Senate Democrats opposed the bill over the billions of dollars of offensive weapons it would provide to Israel. “I cannot vote to send more bombs and shells to Israel when they are using them in an indiscriminate manner against Palestinian civilians,” Senator Jeff Merkley explained.
Other hypocrisy
Biden has faced intense criticism from large swathes of the Democratic coalition for his refusal to reign in Israel’s actions in Gaza, which the International Court of Justice ruled were plausibly a genocide. Top Democrats have been accused of hypocrisy for supporting Ukraine’s resistance while also backing Israel’s destruction of Gaza.
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