Return to Transcripts main page

The Situation Room

Lawmakers, World Leaders Convene in D.C. for Graham Funeral Events; Netanyahu, Zelenskyy in Washington for Graham Funeral; Ceremony Underway at Capitol to Honor Graham's Life. Aired 10-10:30a ET

Aired July 28, 2026 - 10:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:00:00]

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome to our viewers here in the United States and around the world. I'm Wolf Blitzer with Pamela Brown, and you're in The Situation Room.

We're following breaking news right now. Two days of funeral services for the late Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina are just set to get underway, beginning with a ceremony up on Capitol Hill featuring remarks from Vice President Vance and Senate Majority Leader John Thune.

And later this afternoon, President Trump, other government officials, and world leaders will gather at the National Cathedral here in Washington for a tribute to Lindsey Graham's life. The president is expected to speak about his former political ally and occasional golf partner at that event.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: I mean, Lindsey liked war, to be honest with you, okay? You know, I said, you're a nice guy. How come you like war so much? He was a guy that liked war. I jokingly say, and there's nothing funny about it, but he's never seen a war that he didn't like. He was very much into that and, you know, for good reason. He felt that way. Some other people feel that way. But he was very much very strong on the military.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PAMELA BROWN, CNN ANCHOR: And Graham's influence over foreign policy is on full display today. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy traveled to Washington for the services. Both leaders are meeting with President Trump at the White House this morning.

Netanyahu says the Iran war, which Graham supported, will be at the top of his agenda, while Zelenskyy is expected to advocate for Graham's bipartisan Russia sanctions legislation.

BLITZER: Let's go live right now to CNN's Chief Congressional Correspondent Manu Raju is up on Capitol Hill. You've covered Senator Graham, Manu, for a long time. What are you watching for today?

MANU RAJU, CNN ANCHOR AND CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: There are going to be a lot of moments here, Wolf, where the f- leaders of our country will detail the impact that Lindsey Graham had both on domestic policy and on foreign policy. There aren't very many members of Congress who've had that kind of profound influence, both shaping the direction of his own party, battling within his own party, working across the aisle, his work on domestic issues, but also on foreign policy issues, and also the personal nature as well.

Lindsey Graham, someone who had deep personal relationships over more than three decades in the United States Congress, both first serving in the U.S. House and then in the U.S. Senate. And we expect to hear a lot about his personality, his sense of humor, and how people were just stunned to see his sudden passing at the age of 71, even in the aftermath of him returning from Ukraine as he was pushing to get legislation enacted to slap Russia with new sanctions with new sanctions that the United States Senate will advance in honor of Graham later tonight.

We expect this ceremony here in the United States Rotunda of the Capitol to take place in matter of seconds here. First with a prayer from the House chaplain, followed by a speech by the Congresswoman who represents the district that Lindsey Graham had represented himself while in the United States House.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, Vice President J.D. Vance also expected to make remarks. And then after this relatively brief ceremony, that's when he will be -- his casket will be taken by hearse across Washington to the National Cathedral, and then we'll hear the President of the United States talk about his unique relationship with Lindsey Graham.

His hot and cold relationship, but a very close one at the end of Graham's life, and someone who had a huge impact on Trump himself, and was -- played a key role between Senate Republicans and Donald Trump as they tried to forge an agenda and a relationship between both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue.

Expect a lot of themes and a lot of really sad feelings in the halls of the Capitol. People still coming to terms with the sudden death of someone who was so close to many members across the aisle. Wolf and Pamela?

BLITZER: You have a good point there, Manu Raju. Thank you very, very much. Pamela?

BROWN: Yes, and we see some of those in the audience. You see the Vice President J.D. Vance, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, who we expect to hear from.

And as we watch and wait to hear those remarks, we're going to talk more with our CNN Senior Reporter Isaac Dovere and former State Department Middle East Negotiator Aaron David Miller who is now a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for Internal Peace.

[10:05:10]

Just about Graham's legacy as we mark this solemn moment here on Capitol Hill, so, Isaac, to start with you on that, Senator Graham certainly had a long career in Republican politics. He was well known as perhaps one of President Trump's closest allies on Capitol Hill. But he also worked closely with Democrats on key issues. In fact, President Trump noted that during his interview this morning on Fox. What more should we know about his recent bipartisan policy portfolio and those relationships?

EDWARD-ISAAC DOVERE, CNN SENIOR REPORTER: Well, look, the pictures that we're looking at are something that tells a story in itself, right? There are 100 senators. I don't think that you could see many of those senators, if any of those other senators, getting this sort of reception at the funeral from Republicans, from Democrats, from world leaders.

It is because Graham was a unique figure in American politics and had been really for the last 15 years. He was serving as this essentially a perennial secretary of state unofficially traveling around the world, working with foreign leaders. One of things that has been said about him is that he was essentially the ambassador to every country that he landed in, but also working across the aisle constantly with Republicans and Democrats.

When he died, his office put out a statement that said that he was a member of basically every gang. You know, we talk about that in the Senate when they have these immigration agreements, all the things that they try to work on these deals, the Gang of Six, the Gang of Eight, every one of them, Lindsey Graham was part of, and he was part of it in a way that both led to those negotiations happening, but also built relationships with people, where you have everybody, from Donald Trump to Elizabeth Warren, remembering him fondly.

BLITZER: Yes, he was obviously a very, very special man. I interviewed him many, many times here in The Situation Room. He was always, always impressive.

Aaron, let me get your thoughts. Senator Graham's bipartisan bona fides date back many, many years, decades, in fact, to when he was part of what we used to call the Three Amigos with Senators John McCain and Joe Lieberman. Explain the influence of this bipartisan group here in Washington, especially when it came to the Middle East and other foreign policy issues.

AARON DAVID MILLER, FORMER STATE DEPARTMENT MIDDLE EAST NEGOTIATOR: You know, Graham -- and thanks for having me, Pamela and Wolf. Graham was a unique figure in many ways. There are several confluences that came together. He was a foreign policy hawk committed to the advancement of what he considered to be the national interest. He also developed over the course of his career close personal relationships, not just with Israeli leaders, but with Arab leaders as well.

And if you combine that with his friendship with John McCain, who was, in many respects, of like mind, although where McCain would've been today with respect to Lindsey Graham is very much an open question. Also, on Israel, Wolf, he had this very strong evangelical constituency in South Carolina, which, as you know, is extremely supportive of Israel, anti-Iran, shared that view across the aisle, and became -- it's quite understandable why the prime minister of Israel is here today to attend and pay his personal respects to Graham. Graham disagreed with Netanyahu on many things, but he was also an avid and firm supporter.

BLITZER: The chaplain of the United States House of Representatives, the Reverend Dr. Margaret Grun Kibben, is speaking right now in the invocation. I want to quickly listen in.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It was you, oh Lord, who brought him through adversity, shaping within him an enduring sense of responsibility. It was you who, throughout his noteworthy career, equipped him with his assertive spirit, a force to be reckoned with, while also instilling in him a pragmatic determination to get things done, even when it required negotiating with the other side. It was you who emboldened him with both courage and grace, so that while many would know no tougher adversary, most would realize no better friend.

And now, as this patriot rests from his labors and stands before you, may Lindsey Graham hear your own, well done, good and faithful servant. It is in your eternal name we pray. Amen.

REP. SHERI BIGGS (R-SC): Please be seated.

Senator Darline Graham, members of the Graham family, Vice President Vance, Majority Leader Thune, and other distinguished guests, I'm incredibly honored to offer on behalf of the people of South Carolina our immeasurable gratitude for the statesman and even better friend, Senator Lindsey Graham.

[10:10:17]

When people talk about Lindsey Graham, they often talk about the titles he has held, the congressman, the senator, the chairman, the colonel. But titles only tell a small part of the story. To truly understand Lindsey, you have to understand his deep love for South Carolina and his family, and his belief that public service is a responsibility, not simply a position.

To say he loves South Carolina is an understatement. He loved every city in our small but very powerful state, and he always carried South Carolina traditions with him. He understood the people of our state, our independence, our values, our willingness to work hard, and our desire for leaders who will stand up for what they believe is right. Whether walking the streets of his hometown, meeting with locals, or representing South Carolina on the world stage, he never forgot where he came from.

Like most South Carolinians, family meant everything to Lindsey. It drove his passion for service, it drove his fight for policy, and it kept him grounded. Here in Washington, a town where many lose sight of who sent them here and why they're here at all, Lindsey never forgot where he came from or who he was here to serve what made Lindsey exceptional was his ability to work on difficult issues while maintaining personal relationships with people who disagreed with him.

He believed that conversations mattered. He believed that showing up mattered. And he believed that leadership meant finding a way forward even when the path was complicated And he was also very good at outsmarting the trolls, the armchair critics, and the keyboard warriors.

Everyone can recount stories of Lindsey's quick wit, his unforgettable sense of humor, and his ability to make people laugh when you least expected it. He was authentic. He never tried to be someone he wasn't a legacy is not built only through votes, legislation, or headlines. A legacy is built through the lives touched, the relationships formed, and the focused mission to make a difference over time. Lindsey Graham's legacy is one of service to South Carolina, to our nation, and to the cause of making the world a safer and better place.

He spent his life standing for something larger than himself, and that commitment will continue to be remembered by those who had the privilege of knowing him and by generations who will benefit from his service.

Perhaps what I'll remember most was his love for our military. Lindsey proudly served for 33 years in the United States Air Force, retiring as a colonel. He deeply understood the sacrifices made by the men and women who wear our nation's uniform because he wore it himself. I am the congresswoman for the upstate and a lieutenant colonel for the South Carolina Air National Guard, but Lindsey never missed an opportunity to remind me that he outranked me, not only in service, but also in his office in the upper chamber.

And you know what? He had earned that right. He loved our service members, he loved our veterans, and he never stopped fighting for him.

Just last week, I received a call from a friend that I had served with. He was a colonel, a pilot. He told me years ago he was on an aircraft, and Senator Graham happened to be on that plane. He said he thought he never would get him out of the cockpit because he was right in the middle, almost the entire flight, talking to the pilots and learning more about them.

[10:15:06]

That's just who Lindsey was. He wanted to be right there alongside our fighters and our veterans. I was proud to call Lindsey Graham my constituent and honored to have called him my friend.

Service is not celebrity nor comfort, and public service is never accomplished by one person alone. Every member knows it takes a team. And he built one of the best teams who faithfully served alongside him.

To every member of his Senate staff, both past and present, thank you for your service to Lindsey, to South Carolina, and the United States of America. Your professionalism, your loyalty, and your sacrifice, and your loss is recognized Having served under the Department of the Air Force, Lindsey and I both knew the Airman's Creed, which partly reads, my mission is to fly, fight, and win. I am faithful to a proud heritage, a tradition of honor, and a legacy of valor.

Those words describe Lindsey Graham's life through triumph and hardship, victory and criticism, a legacy of service. I remember so well one of my last joint events with Senator Graham. We shared a stage together at a church in our district to discuss our shared support for the people of Israel and to talk about our faith.

Those were two topics that were very important to both of us. Senator Graham's death was unexpected. He had a full schedule. He had plans. And in this time of mourning, we're reminded of God's comfort and that His plan is perfect. None of us know when it's our time, but we're reminded that our only eternal hope is found in our Savior.

As the Bible reads in the book of Romans 10:13, for whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. To the Graham family, may God bless you and keep you, and may God continue to show each of us the grace that we do not deserve.

SEN. JOHN THUNE (R-SD): Mr. Vice President, Darline, Senator Graham, Larry Members of the Graham family, ladies and gentlemen, good morning. It's difficult to believe that we're here today to say a final farewell to Lindsey as he leaves the Capitol for the last time. My heart is heavy. I feel his absence every day, and I know so many of my colleagues do as well.

Senators on both sides of the aisle counted him as a friend, and Republicans and Democrats alike, including the Democrat leader, are here to say farewell. Lindsey was a towering figure here in the Senate and on the international stage. His leadership on national security and on our national defense is well known.

I traveled with Lindsey all over the world as part of Congressional delegations, and I saw firsthand just how much he was respected by our allies and just how well he was able to connect with foreign leaders around the globe. Striking, too, was the instant connection he had with the military men and women that we met.

They recognized him immediately as one of their own. Lindsey's work on these issues would be enough to cement his place as a leader in the Senate, but he was a leader on many other issues, too. As chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee in the 116th Congress, he fought tirelessly to advance well-qualified judges.

[10:20:00]

He was serving as chair of the Budget Committee at the time of his death and was responsible for getting important tax relief legislation to the floor.

And no tribute to Lindsey's work is complete without mentioning that he was a powerful voice for the pro-life movement. Until my last breath, I will be fighting for this cause, he said, and he was. He was a fierce defender of Ukraine. He was a fierce defender of the unborn.

And on the surface, these might seem like two completely separate issues, but it strikes me that in another way, they are both of a piece. In both cases, Lindsey Graham saw injustice, and he spoke up, and was as typical of Lindsey, he spoke up fearlessly.

I don't apologize for being pro-life, he said in an interview in 2022, and probably on a number of other occasions. It didn't matter to Lindsey whether an issue was popular or unpopular, whether he had the full support of his colleagues or whether he was standing alone. If he believed he was in the right, he spoke up. He told things the way he saw them, and he didn't mince words.

But lest anyone think it was all work and no levity with Lindsey, let me just say that there was no one, no one who took his job more seriously than Lindsey Graham, but also no one was more capable of cracking up a room.

During the work week here in Washington, a lot of us are away from our families. So, we often get together in groups for dinner. And let me tell you, Lindsey was always the first call. The conversation and the laughs always flowed at any meal where Lindsey Graham was present. He was entertaining always, and pretentious, never.

There are a lot of so-called self-made people in the world, he once said. I'm not one of them. My family, friends, neighbors, and my faith picked me up when I was down, believed in me when I had doubts. You made me the man I am today, he said.

Ladies and gentlemen, Lindsey will be remembered as a senator and as a statesman. But for me, most of all, I will remember him as my friend. It's hard to think that there will be no more Senate dinners with Lindsey, that he won't be dropping by my office to discuss some piece of legislation or make me laugh with his witty commentary.

But I cling to the same faith that Lindsey had, to the sure and certain hope of the resurrection and the knowledge that death is not the end I am the resurrection and the life, says the Lord. The one who believes in me will live even though they die, and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.

To Darline and the Graham family, to Lindsey's beloved staff members, be assured of the prayers of my wife, Kimberly, and I, and the prayers of so many in this room And to Lindsey, rest in peace, my friend. I look forward to the days when you make us all laugh again.

J.D. VANCE, U.S. VICE PRESIDENT: First to Darline and to the Graham family, all of you, I know you loved Lindsey and were proud of him, and he was proud of you, and I'm very, very sorry. It's good to see you all here among his friends and his colleagues, and I also, of course, have to issue my condolences to them. I know so many of you loved Lindsey, like I did. So many of you argued with Lindsey, laughed with Lindsey, relied on Lindsey.

And I also, of course, want to give condolences to a group of people you sometimes don't hear as often mentioned in the same breath, but I know who loved him, which is his staff.

[10:25:02] I know all of you worked for him for a long time. Many of you worked for him for longer than, you know, I've been in public service, certainly longer some of you even than I've been graduated from high school, don't mean to age any of you, but what a testament to a man that he has so much loyal and devoted staff.

And I think that's the first thing I want to tell about Lindsey Graham. I want to tell some stories, but I also want to make an observation, which is that Lindsey Graham loved people from all walks of life, I think, in part because of the way that he grew up, because of the fact that he wasn't handed everything.

He was fascinated in everybody. He was fascinated in the waitstaff in the Senate dining room. He was fascinated in the people who made the food. He was fascinated in the lowest staffer who had been hired three days earlier. He was fascinated by, of course, the very leadership of our country.

And I think he was fascinated in people because he loved people, and he was interested in them. He was the kind of guy who would walk into the Senate, and when he walked into the Senate, this was a guy who couldn't have stood more than 5'6" or 5'6", but he'd swash-buckle in with his jacket open like he was 6'5". He had an attitude to him, and it's one of the reasons why Lindsey Graham was Lindsey Graham.

But he would walk into the United States Senate, and he would slap you on the back. He would greet the person who served his food. He treated everybody the same because he was fascinated, and he loved every single person in this chamber, and that's a great testament to the man.

You know, I first got to know Lindsey Graham when I was on the Senate campaign trail for my own Senate race in 2022. And I remember riding in the back of the car with him. You know, during these campaigns, you go from one event to the next and to the next event, and I remember learning a lot from him. I had a lot of people who campaigned with me during that time, but I learned something from Lindsey Graham, the way that he interacted with people, the way that he was so interested in what was going on and what was moving people and what was motivating them and what they were interested in.

That affection and love of people was obvious even on the campaign trail. But so, too, was Lindsey Graham's world-class sense of humor. And at one event in particular, we had just left one event. We were riding in the back of the car going to the next event. Lindsey Graham told me a story about his time in the House.

And if I repeated exactly what he told me, Darline, it would be the end of my political career forever. But what I can say is that I was laughing so hard that by the time we got to the next event, I had abdominal cramps, and I was barely able to speak because Lindsey Graham could make anybody laugh, and he could make anybody feel at home.

I was talking to, you know, a mutual friend of ours, a person who didn't always agree with Lindsey Graham's politics just shortly after his death, and I expected the person maybe to say something critical, but he said, you know what? Even though we sometimes disagreed, I loved Lindsey Graham. It was impossible not to like him. That swashbuckling, infectious laugh, that attitude, that passion that so many others have talked about, Lindsey Graham was impossible not to like as a human being and, of course, as a United States senator.

You know, I remember on that campaign trail where, you know, you're trying to raise money, and one of the right ways that you raise money is you send people to your campaign website. And I said, Lindsey, before one of these Fox hits on the campaign trail, I said, Lindsey, could you maybe mention the website jdvance.com? And over a four- minute interview, he must have mentioned jdvance.com close to a dozen times. The host would ask, how was the weather? And Lindsey would say, well, before I check the weather, I always go to jdvance.com.

And in a four or five-minute T.V. appearance, Lindsey Graham raised us over $100,000. And that campaign stop was a critical part of me getting elected to the United States Senate and, of course, going on this incredible journey. That was who Lindsey Graham was.

I remember once I got to the Senate, getting in this argument with Lindsey, and as John said, as Leader Thune said, he was a fierce defender of Ukraine. And he and I got into this intense argument at a Senate lunch, I think some of our colleagues probably remember this, about a funding bill for Ukraine.

And I remember at the end of it, going back to my staff, and I was at the time working on a rail legislation that I really, really cared about, and I remember going back to my staff and saying, well, that's probably the end of Lindsey's vote on the railway bill because he is never going to support anything I support after the argument that he and I just had. And, of course, I found out a couple of weeks later from another Senate colleague that the fiercest advocate of that bill behind the scenes was Senator Lindsey Graham.

[10:30:06]