Senator Lindsey Graham expressed concerns about the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, warning against the U.S. withdrawing support and comparing it to the situation in Afghanistan. He advocated for continued military and intelligence aid to Ukraine and announced plans to introduce sanctions against Russia's banking and energy sectors to pressure them into peace negotiations. Fiona Hill also commented on the situation, noting the impact of the U.S. pause in intelligence sharing, while Ukrainian President Zelenskyy reported increased Russian attacks, underscoring the challenges Ukraine faces.
Posts tagged as “Lindsey Graham”
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina appeared on NBC's Meet the Press to discuss the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. He expressed hope that Israel could do more to limit civilian casualties and warned that Israel must consider its handling of Palestinians if it wishes to pursue normalization with Saudi Arabia. The Biden administration views the creation of formal diplomatic ties between Israel and Saudi Arabia as an important foreign policy goal, and Graham praised their efforts to normalize relations between the two countries.
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited Capitol Hill on Tuesday to appeal for U.S. aid for his country, which is suffering from Russian bombings. During the visit, Senator Lindsey Graham asked Zelenskyy to thank Mike Johnson for being willing to pass a package if border security is included, while House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar criticized Johnson for not inviting all House members. Senator J.D. Vance called the visit "grotesque" and Senator Roger Marshall said it was designed to apply pressure on Republicans. It is unclear if Zelenskyy's visit will be successful in helping to secure the aid package.
The Senate Judiciary Committee voted on Thursday to issue subpoenas to conservative activists Harlan Crow and Leonard Leo, as part of an investigation into ethics practices at the Supreme Court. Republican members of the committee walked out of the room during the vote, accusing Democrats of attempting to undermine the court. The investigation was launched after reports revealed the court had failed to properly disclose gifts and travel expenses from conservative groups. The committee is now requesting information from Crow and Leo, as part of a new ethics code that requires justices to disclose gifts and travel expenses and recuse themselves from cases in which they have a financial interest.
Senate Republicans have proposed a one-page plan to President Biden, calling for stricter immigration laws as part of an emergency funding package. The plan includes raising the “credible fear” standard for asylum-seekers, curtailing officials’ ability to grant humanitarian parole, toughening penalties for illegal border crossings, and creating a new “border security trust fund” to pay for additional personnel and technology at the border. The proposal has been met with criticism from some immigration advocates, and it is expected to be a major point of contention in the negotiations over the emergency funding package.
Republican senators expressed their frustration with Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) during an extraordinary debate on the Senate floor due to his months-long hold on over 300 military nominees. Tuberville has stated he will keep his hold in place until the Pentagon follows the law or the Democrats change the law, and despite the four-hour debate, the nominations remain stalled. This highlights the tension between Republican senators over the issue of abortion and the military nominations.
The Senate has confirmed Jack Lew as the new U.S. ambassador to Israel, with support from only two Republicans. Sen. Lindsey Graham, one of those Republicans, said the ambassadorship is "as important and timely as any nomination" due to the war against Hamas. Lew, who served as Treasury Secretary under President Obama, is expected to take up his post in Jerusalem soon.
Senator Lindsey Graham has criticized Representative Matt Gaetz's attempt to remove House Speaker Kevin McCarthy from his seat, calling it a "disaster" for the Republican party. President Joe Biden also commented on the situation, noting that "extreme MAGA Republicans" had attempted to walk away from a deal, but were stopped. With the 2022 midterm elections looming, it remains to be seen how the Republican party will move forward in the coming months.