‘He’s a total sycophant now’: A 2015 clip shows one of Trump’s closest aides calling him a ‘race-baiting, xenophobic bigot’
Some might argue that United States Senator Lindsay Graham is one of Donald Trump’s most loyal supporters. He has consistently defended Trump, even in situations where most wouldn’t expect him to. However, he wasn’t always like this, just as JD Vance and Marco Rubio weren’t.
In a clip from as early as 2015 that is currently going viral on social media, especially on X (formerly Twitter), Lindsay Graham is seen criticizing Trump by pointing out how he was unqualified to become President of the United States (Trump’s first term as president started in January 2017). Amidst a bunch of other things, he said to malign Trump, Graham specifically called him a “race-baiting, xenophobic bigot” who did not deserve to represent the Republican Party.
Lindsay Graham version 1.0 was very different from version 2.0
As previously mentioned, Senator Lindsay Graham was not always a Trump sympathizer. Like many of his colleagues, he also spent some time criticizing Trump before switching sides.
In a viral video from 2015, which has gained significant momentum on X, Lindsay Graham is seen expressing his disdain towards Trump by using strong words. He addresses Trump’s supporters directly and says, “I want to talk to the Trump supporters for a minute. I don’t know who you are, and I don’t know why you like this guy. I think what you like about him, he appears to be strong, and the rest of us are weak. He is a very successful businessman; he’s gonna make everything great. He’s gonna take all the problems of the world and put them in a box and make your life better. That’s what he’s selling; here’s what you are buying. He’s a race-baiting, xenophobic, religious bigot. He doesn’t represent my party.”
Lindsay Graham is now a completely different person
One of the primary topics of discussion in U.S. politics is the country’s ongoing hostilities with Iran, as both countries take steps to repress each other after the U.S., in alliance with Israel, launched attacks on Iran in February 2026. Lindsay Graham, being one of Trump’s closest allies and supporters, has spoken out on this matter numerous times.
More recently, an article published by the Financial Times on May 2, 2026, noted that in a message to the news outlet, Lindsay Graham expressed his wish that Donald Trump “finish the job” in Iran and then continue striking Tehran with military support if it remains “provocative.” Weighing in on the issue faced by the U.S. regarding the Strait of Hormuz, Graham said that Trump should do “whatever combination of events is necessary to start the flow” of ships and “take the leverage away from Iran.”
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