Lindsey Graham Calls On Voters to Ignore Generals’ Criticism of Trump

With the elections just around the corner, Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina took to ABC News’ This Week to defend former President Donald Trump against criticisms from ex-generals. Graham urged voters to “reject” negative characterizations of Trump, dismissing them as unworthy of attention.

The remarks came after retired Marine General John Kelly, who served as Trump’s chief of staff, described Trump as a “fascist” in an interview with The New York Times. Kelly also mentioned Trump’s inappropriate comments about Adolf Hitler, leading to pushback from Trump’s communications director, Steven Cheung, who labelled Kelly’s claims as “debunked stories.”

Adding fuel to the fire, retired Army General Mark Milley, who was nominated by Trump as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, referred to Trump as “fascist to the core” in journalist Bob Woodward’s new book, War.

In his interview, ABC News’ Jonathan Karl highlighted the criticisms from Kelly, Milley, and former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, who previously praised Trump but has now changed his tone. Mattis once described Trump’s actions as a means to “destroy trust in our election.”

Graham, a firm ally of Trump, interrupted Karl’s questioning about Mattis, asserting that while Mattis is entitled to his opinion, he believes Mattis is misremembering events surrounding Trump’s presidency.

Graham defended Trump’s record, claiming that during Trump’s presidency, “Russia didn’t invade Ukraine” and pointed out successes in immigration and border security. He emphasized that “inflation was down” and noted Trump’s strong leadership on significant issues, stating, “Whether you like him or not is your choice. He’s not a fascist, he’s not Hitler.”

He concluded by rejecting claims from the retired generals, asserting, “I reject that. I was there too. I don’t think he’s a fascist. I believe he can be a strong president who will revive our economy and secure our borders.”