Donald Trump honors Lindsey Graham with fond memory of his petty cell phone revenge trick

In a classic display of political nostalgia, Donald Trump has paid homage to one of his most infamous political rivalries, fondly recalling the moment he pulled off a extraordinarily petty revenge stunt against South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham.

Reflecting on his decade-long relationship with Graham during a eulogy to honor the late senator, the President took a detour down memory lane to recount the early days of the 2016 Republican presidential primaries.

At the time, Graham had been one of Trump’s most outspoken conservative critics, famously calling him a 'race-baiting, xenophobic, religious bigot' and a 'jackass' during a television interview.

Never one to let a slight slide, Trump retaliated during a campaign rally in South Carolina in July 2015 by holding up a piece of paper and reading Graham’s private, personal cell phone number out loud to the press and millions of viewers watching at home.

"He was a force of nature, and I will miss him greatly. As you remember, Lindsey and I did not exactly get off to the best of starts running against each other," Trump said.

Trump paid tribute to his former rival turned friend with a memory of their once bitter feud ( Alex Brandon-Pool/Getty Images)

"Back in 2016, Lindsey said something rather nasty on his fight to becoming the next President of the United States. So, naturally, I did something that I shouldn't have done.

"I shared his personal cell phone number with the millions of people that happened to be watching that particular day. As I made a speech, a very important speech, I remember the number (202) 228-0292. If anybody wants to give it a shot."

The stunt at the time, triggered an overwhelming deluge of thousands of calls and text messages, completely crashing Graham’s phone within minutes.

"His phone exploded. He said, 'I had that number for 20 years.' His phone totally, I don't know what he did with it, but it exploded," Trump added. "That was the beginning of a friendship in a way."

Rather than taking offense, Graham responded at the time by filming a viral video titled 'How to Destroy Your Cell Phone', in which he tested various ways to obliterate his trusty flip phone using a blender, a golf club, a meat tenderizer, and a pair of sword shears.

While the two men spent years hurling brutal insults at each other across the 2016 primary trail, their relationship underwent a dramatic transformation once Trump secured the presidency.

Graham quickly pivoted to become one of Trump’s most vocal defenders on Capitol Hill and a frequent golf partner.

The late senator passed away earlier this month after suffering an aortic dissection at the age of 71

Looking back on their chaotic journey from bitter primary rivals to close political allies, Trump acknowledged that while they didn't agree on a number of issues, he had still come to value the senator's presence in his corner right up until the very end of his life.

"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.

“As 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,” he concluded.

The baffling homage serves as a reminder of just how much the political landscape has shifted over the last decade—turning one of the bitterest rivalries in Washington into a fond memory of political theater.