United States Senator Lindsey Graham, who has been one of Donald Trump‘s greatest supporters while also having the privilege of disagreeing with him, is urging the president to move forward with possible military action against Iran.
Even when some White House advisers are calling for restraint, Graham believes this could be a key moment for the United States to take strong action. Speaking with The Times of Israel, the South Carolina Republican said he sees an opportunity to bring what he described as a “historic change” in Iran.
🚨🇺🇸Senator Lindsey Graham: “To the people of Iran, President Donald Trump is a man of his word”.
He has your back. pic.twitter.com/eMZwUZTxOL
— Eli Afriat 🇮🇱 (@EliAfriatISR) January 28, 2026
“I understand concerns about major military operations in the Middle East, given past entanglements. However, the voices who counsel against getting entangled seem to ignore the consequences of letting evil go unchecked,” Graham stated.
Further, having traveled to the Middle East where he met with leaders in Israel, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia, the senator said that warnings against deeper United States involvement and the risks of military action are growing louder. He said this is why he believes it is the right time to strike.
He said, “It’s increasingly clear to me that voices opposing entanglement and the risk associated with decisive action are getting louder. Time will tell as to how this plays out.” Graham later clarified that while he strongly supports action, the final decision belongs to Trump.
“I have a lot of respect for President Trump. He is his own man,” Graham said. He added, “And as with all presidents, he will be held responsible for his decisions on such weighty matters. As to me, history will be very clear as to where I stood, for better or worse.”
However, it seems that the president has not made a final decision, as his advisers are urging caution. Especially since two United States aircraft carriers and hundreds of warplanes are currently positioned in the region, the advisers believe this military buildup could be used as leverage to push Tehran into making concessions.
Graham, however, appears to be ready for stronger steps. In an interview with The National UAE Channel, he praised Trump and suggested that bold action could define his presidency. Comparing him to the former President Ronald Reagan, Graham yet again called for Trump to take action against Iran.
Senator Lindsey Graham: Either Trump will be Reagan plus or Obama minus, let’s see what he does. pic.twitter.com/28IQRZavCy
— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) February 23, 2026
“If Trump can do this. If he can bring down Cuba, Venezuela and Iran in 2026, that’ll be something bigger than Reagan. I call Trump Reagan plus, or Obama minus. You don’t wanna be Obama minus,” Graham said.
He further stated, “Reagan plus would mean that Donald Trump led the world and us to do away with the largest drug trafficker country in our backyard – Venezuela, communist dictatorship’s been a thorn in our sides since the 1950s, and the biggest prize of all is the most radical regime on the planet.”
Graham referred to Trump as “Reagan plus, or Obama minus,” suggesting that strong action would elevate Trump’s legacy. He further added that if Trump could bring down governments in Cuba, Venezuela and Iran in 2026, it would be something “bigger than Reagan.”
While Graham’s comments are likely to spark further debate in Washington and beyond, for now, all eyes remain on Trump.
