President Donald Trump joined Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington on July 28, 2026, to attend the funeral service for the late Senator Lindsey Graham.
The service at the Washington National Cathedral followed a ceremony at the US Capitol for Graham, who died on July 11 at the age of 71.
Foreign leaders attended to honor the senator while seeking continued diplomatic and military support from the administration.
During his eulogy, Trump reflected on his tumultuous political relationship with Graham, recalling an incident from the 2016 Republican presidential primary campaign.
"Lindsey said something rather nasty on his flight to becoming the next president of the United States. So naturally, I did something that I shouldn't have done.
I shared his personal cell phone number with the millions of people that happened to be watching that particular day," Trump said.
Trump explained that his action came after Graham publicly criticized his comments regarding former Senator John McCain.
During a campaign rally in Ames, Iowa, in July 2015, Trump read Graham's private phone number aloud to the audience, prompting Graham to publicly question whether to switch to a new mobile device.
"His phone totally – I don't know what he did with it – but it exploded," Trump said.
The president noted that despite the public dispute, the incident ultimately laid the foundation for a decade-long partnership.
"That was the beginning of a friendship in a way," Trump said.
Trump highlighted Graham's persistence in remaining in constant communication over the following years as they developed a close political alignment.
"It was Lindsey who had the last laugh because while I blew up his phone all for one day, we became great friends, and Lindsey did not stop calling me for the next 10 years," Trump said.
Addressing the ongoing demands of their relationship, Trump added a lighthearted observation: "It was not easy."
Prior to the cathedral service, Vice President JD Vance paid tribute to Graham during a ceremony at the US Capitol, recalling the late senator's humor and approach to governance.
"Because he loved people, he saw that the Senate, at its very best, could be a deliberative body geared towards persuading people," Vance said.
Graham maintained significant influence over foreign policy, advocating for military support for Ukraine and urging firm action regarding Iran.
Before his death, Graham helped facilitate strategic discussions, including a NATO summit in Ankara where Trump announced licensing for Ukraine to manufacture Patriot missiles locally.
