Lindsey Graham says Trump can be 'a handful,' but is 'the most dominant figure' in the GOP


Using a description typically reserved for small children and unruly puppies, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) on Tuesday night called former President Donald Trump "a handful."
Trump, a 74-year-old grandfather of 10, released a blistering statement on Tuesday afternoon attacking Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), in response to McConnell saying that Trump was "practically and morally responsible" for the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. Hours later, Graham appeared on Sean Hannity's Fox News show and said McConnell needs to grasp that while "Trump can be a handful," he is "the most dominant figure in the Republican Party," and without him, the GOP doesn't have "a snowball's chance in hell of taking back the majority."
Graham praised Trump as being "a hell of a president on all the things conservatives really believe in," and called his presidency "consequential." Graham said he is "sorry for what happened on January the 6th," and Trump will "get his fair share of blame." He advised Senate Republicans to "work together" and "realize that without President Trump we're never gonna get back in the majority," and said Trump needs to make some unspecified "changes" in order to reach his "potential." Catherine Garcia
Subscribe to 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.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
June 22 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Sunday’s political cartoons include a SpaceX flight, Bibi pulling Donald Trump toward war, and an ICE agent looking like a bank robber
-
5 bunker-busting cartoons about the Israel-Iran war
Cartoons Political cartoonists take on Iran waiting for Pete Hegseth to leak war plans and Donald Trump's wish for a Nobel prize
-
Malaysia's delicious food and glorious beaches
The Week Recommends From 'colourful' George Town to the 'jungled interior' of Langkawi, Malaysia is incredibly diverse
-
Israel strikes Iran, killing military and nuclear chiefs
Speed Read Israeli officials said the attack was a 'preemptive' strike on Iran's nuclear program
-
Israel deports Thunberg after seizing Gaza aid boat
speed read The Swedish activist was delivering food and medical aid to Palestine, highlighting the growing humanitarian crisis there
-
Colombian senator shot on streets of Bogotá
speed read Miguel Uribe Turbay, who has announced his candidacy for next year's presidential election, was shot at a rally
-
Trump says Putin vowed retaliation for Kyiv strike
speed read The Russian president intends to respond to Ukraine's weekend drone strikes on Moscow's warplanes
-
Dutch government falls over immigration policy
speed read The government collapsed after anti-immigration politician Geert Wilders quit the right-wing coalition
-
South Korea elects liberal Lee as president
speed read Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party, was elected president following months of political instability in the wake of Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment
-
Nationalist wins tight Polish presidential election
speed read Karol Nawrocki beat Rafal Trzaskowski in Poland's presidential runoff election
-
Ukraine hits Russia's bomber fleet in stealth drone attack
speed read The operation, which destroyed dozens of warplanes, is the 'biggest blow of the war against Moscow's long-range bomber fleet'