Donald Trump praises Lindsey Graham as 'warrior' in emotional eulogy at Washington funeral
Donald Trump praised Lindsey Graham during an emotion eulogy at his funeral today, July 28.
Graham, who had served in the Senate representing South Carolina since 2003, died from a sudden illness, his office confirmed on Sunday (July 12).
A preliminary medical examiner's report later revealed he suffered a sudden aortic dissection.
Trump, who ran against Lindsey Graham in the 2016 presidential election, revealed he had spoken to him on the phone just hours before his death, something they had done regularly in the past 10 years.
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Now, he's spoken out at his funeral, concluding the speech by calling the late senator 'a brother, a senator, a warrior, and a patriot'.
"He withstood every last test, every single test that you can go through in every trial. Lindsey, we love you. God bless you,” Trump said.
Although the POTUS was full of praise for Graham, he admitted that they 'didn't get off to the best of starts'.
Recounting how the two became such good friends over 10 years ago, when Graham publicly called the now POTUS a 'jack a**'' during the race.
Retaliating, Trump called Graham an 'idiot,' but if that wasn't enough, he went one step further, and leaked his number during a campaign rally, encouraging people to call him.
"It was Lindsey who had the last laugh because while I blew up his phone all for one day, we became great friends, and Lindsey did not stop calling me for the next 10 years. It was not easy," Trump recalled.
The praise didn't stop there, with the President adding: “But no matter how heated things got in Washington, virtually everyone, Republican or Democrat, liked Lindsey. Well, not everybody, but it sounds good. Not everybody,” Trump laughed.
He then continued to attempt to lighten the mood, adding: “He was a tough cookie, Okay? I have to veer from this for a second. He was a tough cookie, Darline, but he was beautiful.”
Days after her brother's death, Darline Graham, 62, took took the solemn oath of office in Washington, D.C.,to finish out the remaining months of her older brother's legislative term.
During his funeral speech, Trump declared that Lindsey 'had total respect and love for Darline'.
I have no doubt that he is looking down today, beaming with pride at his sister, senator Darline Graham," he added.
Trump was not the only leader in attendance during the service, which took place at the Washington National Cathedral. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy were also in attendance.
Darline, who was seen visibly emotional at her older brother's funeral, is now the the first woman to ever represent the state of South Carolina in the U.S. Senate.
"Lindsey has always been there for me, and now I will be there for him," she said prior to becoming sworn in.
"I think this is what Lindsey would have wanted, and I plan to honor him in this way."
Topics: Donald Trump, South Carolina
Kiesha Dosanjh