Lindsey Graham criticizes Trump, praises Biden in new leaked audio
New York Times reporters Alex Burns and Jonathan Martin shared new audio in which Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) can be heard criticizing former President Donald Trump and praising President Biden in the wake of the Capitol riot, The Hill and Insider report.
During a Tuesday night appearance on CNN's Anderson Cooper 360, Burns and Martin shared a tape of a post-Jan. 6 interview with Graham, in which the lawmaker says Trump "plays the TV game and he went too far here."
"That rally didn't help, talking about primarying [Wyoming Republican Rep. Liz Cheney]. He created a sense of revenge," Graham continued, per Insider.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
In another clip, the South Carolina Republican also said he believed everyone would "come out" of the Capitol riot "stronger."
When asked if he thought Biden would help with that healing, Graham replied, "Totally."
"He'll maybe be the best person to have," he continued. "I mean, how mad can you get at Joe Biden?"
Graham is often seen as an ally to Trump, though he has pushed back on the ex-president in the past. He voted to certify the results of the 2020 election, and also criticized Trump for suggesting the possibility of pardons for Capitol rioters.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
In another headline-making moment, Burns and Martin also recently leaked post-riot audio in which House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), a Trump acolyte, can be heard saying he will tell the then-president to resign.
Brigid Kennedy worked at The Week from 2021 to 2023 as a staff writer, junior editor and then story editor, with an interest in U.S. politics, the economy and the music industry.
-
7 mountain hotels perfect for a tranquil autumn or winter escapeThe Week Recommends Get (altitude) high and unwind
-
‘Deskilling’: a dangerous side effect of AI useThe explainer Workers are increasingly reliant on the new technology
-
The biggest sports betting scandals in historyIn Depth The recent indictments of professional athletes were the latest in a long line of scandals
-
Trump’s White House ballroom: a threat to the republic?Talking Point Trump be far from the first US president to leave his mark on the Executive Mansion, but to critics his remodel is yet more overreach
-
‘Not every social scourge is an act of war’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Pentagon unable to name boat strike casualtiesSpeed Read The Pentagon has so far acknowledged 14 strikes
-
41 political cartoons for October 2025Cartoons Editorial cartoonists take on Donald Trump, ICE, Stephen Miller, the government shutdown, a peace plan in the Middle East, Jeffrey Epstein, and more.
-
Trump limits refugees mostly to white South AfricansSpeed Read The administration is capping the number of refugees at 7,500
-
Judge rules US attorney ‘unlawfully serving’Speed Read Bill Essayli had been serving in the role without Senate confirmation
-
Trump ends Asia trip with Xi meeting, nuke threatSpeed Read Trump had spent the last six days in Asia
-
What does history say about Trump’s moves in Latin America?Today's Big Question ‘Bitter memories’ surface as the US targets Venezuela
