Trump's closest ally says he talked to the president about taking dramatic action against Iran as MAGA demands restraint
Lindsey Graham refused to rule out the United States getting directly involved in a war with Iran, and even sending American troops to fight in the Middle East.
The South Carolina senator insisted on Fox News Tuesday that 'the men and women who serve' would risk their lives to 'stop the Ayatollah from having a nuclear weapon.'
'I can guarantee you that if the Ayatollah gets a nuclear weapon, he will use it,' Graham stated.
'I believe that with all my heart and soul, so do the men and women who serve, they're the ones going, not people answering a poll, and if you ask them, would you be willing to risk your life to stop the Ayatollah from having a nuclear weapon, all of them would say yes, because it makes their country, our country, safer.'
Graham said that launching preemptive strikes on Iran's nuclear program would prevent an even larger conflict.
'We live in a world where you've got to confront problems. You want to avoid World War Three? Learn the lessons from World War Two,' he said.
'People in World War Two appeased Hitler to the point that it got so much out of hand, we had a world war and 60 million people got killed.'
'So we live in a world where you pay now or you pay later. Let's stop this threat before he gets a nuclear weapon. Let's end this Reign of Terror,' Graham warned.
'Let's do it now. It's not going to take 20 months, but I can't guarantee your freedom and your safety, unless we're willing to fight for it, I can guarantee you this, if we don't fight for our freedom, we will lose.'
Unusual alliances are forming in Congress on whether or not the U.S. should go to war with Iran - as Libertarian Republicans ally themselves with far left Democrats.
Kentucky Republican Rand Paul exclusively told the Daily Mail Tuesday when asked what his red line was when it came to U.S. involvement in Iran that, 'the Constitution is pretty explicit on war.'
'No president can go to war or bomb other countries without permission of Congress,' Paul continued.
'The Constitution says that a president has to come to Congress and ask for permission or a declaration of war before we can do anything,' Paul concluded.
Former socialist-aligned Democrat presidential candidate turned Independent Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont is also against the U.S. jumping in with two feet in Iran.
Sanders wrote on X Monday that 'the US must not be dragged into another illegal Netanyahu war – either militarily or financially.'
Sanders' reasoning against U.S. engagement in the conflict is because he fully puts the blame for starting the war squarely on the shoulders of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Across Capitol Hill, another similarly diverse alliance has formed in the House chambers.
Paul's fellow Republican Member of Congress from Kentucky, Republican Thomas Massie, joined forces with California Democrat Ro Khanna to introduce the Iran War Powers Resolution 'to prohibit U.S. involvement in the Israel-Iran war.'
The Constitution of the United States is very clear.
There is no ambiguity.
It is Congress that determines whether we go to war, not the President.
Trump must not take illegal military action against Iran.
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) June 17, 2025
I just introduced an Iran War Powers Resolution with @RepRoKhanna to prohibit U.S. involvement in the Israel-Iran war.
This is not our war. Even if it were, Congress must decide such matters according to our Constitution. pic.twitter.com/LuIl59lt45
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) June 17, 2025
'This is not our war. Even if it were, Congress must decide such matters according to our Constitution,' Massie wrote on X Tuesday.
Khanna co-chaired Bernie Sanders' presidential campaign, and was also a past campaign surrogate for former President Joe Biden.
Many users on social media site X, formerly Twitter were quick to slam Grahams call for the U.S. to enter the conflict.
Daily Wire personality Matt Walsh wrote 'every true America First conservative should reject this maniac and everyone like him. A regime change war in the Middle East has never made Americans freer. It has nothing to do with our freedom whatsoever.'
Lindsey Graham is calling for a full scale invasion of Iran for the sake of "fighting for our freedom." This is insane, reckless madness from a warmongering asshole who's been in office for 30 years and never done a single thing to make life better for Americans. Every true… https://t.co/3KbOccxnMq
— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) June 17, 2025
Lindsey Graham has one setting and it's "Warmonger"
— Ryan Duff (@ryancduff) June 17, 2025
Lindsey Graham has no children.
Therefore he has no emotional frame of reference when it comes to sending your children to war. pic.twitter.com/YesBVsM8Aw
— Eric Matheny 🎙️ (@ericmmatheny) June 17, 2025
Graham is now pushing for all out war against Iran, the same way he did in Iraq, Syria, and Ukraine https://t.co/6u7OTgtb2d
— Jack Poso 🇺🇸 (@JackPosobiec) June 17, 2025
X user @ryancduff noted 'Lindsey Graham has one setting and it's "Warmonger."'
Podcaster @ericmmatheny wrote, 'Lindsey Graham has no children. Therefore he has no emotional frame of reference when it comes to sending your children to war.'
Human Events Editor Jack Posobiec added 'Graham is now pushing for all out war against Iran, the same way he did in Iraq, Syria, and Ukraine.'
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