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.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

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.

Sign up

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.

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.