Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) is a supporter of Donald Trump as the former president makes another run for the presidency in which he’s currently cruising to an expected — though not confirmed — Republican nomination for president. And on the campaign trail, Trump recently suggested supporting Russia in a potential military stand-off with members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) if they fail to meet claimed spending obligations, which Trump misrepresents.
Yet, Graham claimed Friday that the Biden administration is insufficiently condemning the current Russian regime led by Vladimir Putin amid an ongoing war waged by the country against Ukraine. Has Graham considered looking in the rhetorical mirror?
“After two years of war, the Biden Administration is still reluctant to call Putin out for the terrorist he is,” Graham claimed, adding: “The strongest way to send a signal to the world that Russia is a pariah is to designate Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism under U.S. law, like Iran, Cuba, Syria, and North Korea. […] Everything else is just talk.”
Graham himself recently opposed a foreign aid package in the Senate that would set up tens of billions of dollars worth of additional security assistance for Ukraine, which establishes a substantial wedge against Russia. (The package, passed by the Senate, has faced delays amid complaining by the Republicans currently in control in the House.)
Graham explicitly linked his stance to Trump, who like others in his corner of the GOP has complained about the current state of U.S. assistance given to Ukraine, which has included weapons deliveries. In fact, a large share of the funds designated for such assistance is expended in the United States, supporting domestic manufacturing. Aid from other countries has also helped boost U.S. production, as a series of arms deals have emerged involving the U.S. and allies effectively providing replacements for materials given by the latter.
