Trump Recalls Path From Rival to Ally With Late Sen. Lindsey Graham After 2016 South Carolina Primary

WASHINGTON — President Trump on Monday continued to reflect on his relationship with the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, recalling how a sharp rivalry during the 2016 Republican presidential primary gave way to a close personal and political alliance that lasted until Graham's sudden death over the weekend.

Graham, the longtime South Carolina Republican who served in the Senate since 2003, died Saturday at age 71. First responders were called to his Capitol Hill residence for a report of chest pains. Preliminary findings from the D.C. medical examiner's office indicate he died from an aortic dissection.

In a video posted on social media, Trump recounted the origins of their friendship. "There were 18 people running for president. He was one of them, and he was totally against me. He said, 'I will get you in South Carolina!' That didn't work out too well — I joke about it. Once the race ended, I became really good friends with him."

Trump has described Graham as "like a member of the family" and "a great politician" in interviews since the senator's death. He also called Graham a "workaholic" and "an amazing advocate" whose counsel he valued on foreign policy and other matters.

The two men spoke by phone in the early evening Saturday, hours before emergency crews responded to Graham's home. Trump said Graham had just returned from what was reportedly his tenth trip to Ukraine and was focused on advancing the SAVE America Act, a priority measure the senator had been pushing. "He sounded a little tired. Perfect, but a little tired, but he had the right to be," Trump said. "He was a worker. He was really a worker."

Trump noted that the conversation may have been one of Graham's final calls. "It could have been his last call, I don't know," he said. Graham had met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during the recent trip and was described by associates as energetic despite the long travel.

Their relationship had not always been cordial. During the 2016 campaign, Graham was among Trump's most vocal Republican critics. He accused Trump of race-baiting and xenophobia and told him on national television to "run for president, but don't be the world's biggest jackass." Trump responded by publicly sharing Graham's personal cellphone number at a South Carolina rally and urging supporters to call him.

Graham had vowed to stop Trump's momentum in his home state. Trump won the South Carolina primary by a wide margin, effectively ending Graham's own brief presidential bid and diminishing the influence of establishment candidates. After the primary, the two began to reconcile. Trump has said Graham respected the outcome and that the men "sort of got a little bit friendly." The friendship deepened over the following years.

Graham went on to become one of Trump's most reliable allies in the Senate. He supported Trump's judicial nominations, backed the president during both impeachment trials and frequently defended him in public. The senator also emerged as a leading voice on national security issues, making repeated trips to conflict zones and advocating for strong U.S. support for Ukraine following Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022.

In the months before his death, Trump had endorsed Graham for re-election. Graham won the Republican primary earlier this year and was positioned as the nominee for the general election this fall. Trump had praised him as "a wonderful friend" who "has always been there when I needed him."

Graham's death leaves a vacancy in the Senate at a time when Trump's legislative priorities, including the SAVE America Act, face an uncertain path. Colleagues from both parties have described Graham as a skilled negotiator who could work across the aisle on defense and foreign policy matters despite his strong conservative record.

Throughout his Senate career, Graham served on the Armed Services Committee and was known for his detailed knowledge of military and intelligence issues. He made numerous visits to troops abroad and was a frequent traveler to the Middle East and Eastern Europe. Associates said he remained deeply engaged in policy work until his final days.

Trump has said he was shocked by the news when Graham's office contacted him around 1 a.m. Sunday. "I said, 'I can't believe it.' He was like a member of the family to me, it's very tough," Trump said.

In additional comments, Trump highlighted Graham's ability to navigate difficult political terrain. He described the senator as someone who could "solve" problems involving Democrats when needed and called him "a man of all different abilities."

Graham's passing has prompted tributes from Republican leaders who noted his decades of service and his evolution into a key Trump supporter. The senator had often said he viewed his role as helping advance the president's agenda on judges, the military and conservative priorities.

For Trump, the loss comes as he has been highlighting personal connections with allies in recent public appearances. The president has repeatedly returned to the story of their 2016 clash and subsequent reconciliation, presenting it as an example of how political competition can give way to productive partnership.

Graham, a bachelor who represented South Carolina in Congress for more than three decades, was 71. His death follows a period of intense legislative activity and foreign travel. Officials said the medical examiner's office continues to investigate the exact circumstances.

Trump has indicated he will continue to speak about Graham's contributions in the days ahead. In one recent appearance, he said simply of the senator: "He was a great guy."

The relationship between the two men, once defined by sharp attacks on the campaign trail, had become one of the more enduring personal bonds in Trump's political circle. Graham often described himself as the "Trump guy" in the Senate and worked to align Republican policy with the president's objectives on trade, immigration and foreign affairs.

As Washington absorbs the news of Graham's death, attention has turned to how the Senate vacancy will be filled and what it means for the narrow Republican majority and the president's remaining legislative goals this term. For now, Trump and other Republicans are focused on honoring a colleague who, despite an unlikely beginning, became one of the president's most consistent supporters.