Trump eulogizes Lindsey Graham at Washington funeral, lauds his service
President Donald Trump delivered a eulogy for the late Sen. Lindsey Graham at the Washington National Cathedral, blending personal anecdotes with praise for his foreign-policy clout.
President Donald Trump’s eulogy for Sen. Lindsey Graham at the Washington National Cathedral transformed a solemn ceremony into a showcase of the late senator’s foreign‑policy clout and his personal bond with the former president.
Trump arrived at the cathedral at 1:46 p.m. ET, walked past a flag‑draped casket carried by an eight‑member military honor guard, and took the podium for a 14‑minute “extemporaneous” address. In it he called Graham “a true American original,” a “force of nature,” and “a legend” whose “old‑fashioned American idealism” still resonated in a “city where politicians often become jaded and cynical.”
Media additions
Key moments from the eulogy
"He was a tough cookie, but he was beautiful," Trump said, adding that Graham was “a force of nature and I will miss him greatly.”
Donald Trump, President, via Yahoo News
"He was a great champion of the United States Supreme Court," Trump continued, recalling Graham’s defense of Justice Brett Kavanaugh during the confirmation hearings.
Donald Trump, President, via NBC News
"He never quit. You wanted him to quit, you wanted for him to quit, but he would never quit," the president said.
Donald Trump, President, via Yahoo News
Trump also riffed on a 2015 incident in which he publicized Graham’s personal cell phone number, joking that the “phone exploded with calls” and that “Lindsey did not stop calling me for the next 10 years.”
In addition to personal recollections, Trump highlighted Graham’s foreign‑policy stances. He described him as “extremely hawkish,” noting that “he never saw a war that he didn’t like” and that Graham’s “unwavering faith in the righteousness of American power and prayer” guided his support for Ukraine, Israel and a “global war on terror.” The president’s remarks dovetailed with the presence of Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, both of whom attended the invitation‑only service.
Allies and adversaries gathered
More dignitaries filled the cathedral’s nave: Supreme Court Justice Kavanaugh, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and a host of senators from both parties, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senate Majority Leader John Thune.
Trump met privately with Netanyahu and Zelenskyy before the service. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt called both meetings “positive and productive” on social media. Netanyahu’s post‑meeting photo showed the three leaders standing together in the Oval Office, while Zelenskyy later posted that they discussed “licenses for Patriot interceptor production” and “ideas that could help” Ukraine’s defense against Russia.
Timeline of the day
- Morning – Graham’s flag‑draped casket arrives in the Capitol Rotunda; military honor guard carries it to a black‑cloth platform.
- 10 a.m. ET – Vice President JD Vance, Senate Majority Leader John Thune and others deliver remarks in the Rotunda.
- 11:03 a.m. ET – Trump begins private meeting with Netanyahu; ends 12:22 p.m. ET.
- 9:47 a.m. ET – Trump meets Zelenskyy in the White House; meeting closed to press.
- 1:46 p.m. ET – Trump arrives at Washington National Cathedral and takes the podium.
- 2 p.m. ET – Trump delivers the eulogy; service runs roughly two hours.
- Late afternoon – Casket exits the cathedral, transferred to a hearse for transport to South Carolina.
Contrasting perspectives
While Trump painted Graham as an unabashed war hawk who “never saw a war that he didn’t like,” NBC News quoted the president describing that same hawkishness as “for the good of our country.” By contrast, Fox News host Sean Hannity, speaking after the eulogy, emphasized Graham’s desire for “lasting peace in the Middle East” and argued that the senator was “unfairly characterized as a warmonger.” Hannity’s remarks, also captured by Yahoo News, added nuance to the picture of Graham as both an aggressive strategist and a peace‑seeking diplomat.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, speaking at the Capitol ceremony, highlighted Graham’s legislative achievements. Vice President JD Vance, in a separate tribute, remembered Graham’s humor and personal touch.
Yahoo News reported that Graham faced “multiple primary opponents this year” and that fellow South Carolina Senator Tim Scott held “much higher polling numbers.”
What happens next
Additional services are scheduled for tomorrow in Graham's native South Carolina, where a funeral procession will travel from the state House to First Baptist Church. He will be buried in Pickens County, where he was born. Meanwhile, the White House announced that Joint Base Charleston will renamed for Sen. Lindsey Graham, according to a story in the Post and Courier that Leavitt reposted.
A bipartisan group of senators, including Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D‑CT), Katie Britt (R‑AL), Jim Risch (R‑ID), Jeanne Shaheen (D‑NH) and Roger Wicker (R‑MS), is set to meet at 6 p.m. ET to discuss Graham’s legislation aiming to sanction Russia. The meeting will be followed by a press brief at around 7:15 p.m., offering reporters a chance to gauge how Graham’s foreign‑policy agenda might shape forthcoming votes.
Trump’s appearance reinforces a pattern of public mourning that intertwines personal loyalty with political signaling.
