From Chicago Sun-Times · · 1m 40s
A letter to the late Lindsey Graham
Mona Charen criticizes Lindsey Graham for supporting Trump's anti-Russia deal that undermines Ukraine.
In brief
Mona Charen criticizes Lindsey Graham for supporting Trump's anti-Russia deal that undermines Ukraine. Mona Charen argues Lindsey Graham's support for Trump's Russia diesel deal contradicts his earlier advocacy for Ukraine and international norms. Originally reported by Chicago Sun-Times.
Lindsey Graham's final stance
Mona Charen writes that Graham believed truckling to Trump would do more good than opposing him.
“You erroneously believed that by truckling to trump you could do more good than you could have by opposing him”
Graham's last words
Graham joked he could still do russia sanctions, iran issues, and israeli-saudi normalization before dying.
“I can’t die now. I still need to do the russia sanctions, get iran sorted out and do israeli saudi normalization”
Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act
The 2026 law named after graham gives president authority to impose tariffs on russian oil and gas imports.
“The lindsey o. graham sanctioning russia and iran act of 2026 gave the president new authority to impose tariffs on countries importing russian oil and gas”
Trump's diesel deal with russia
Trump signed a deal to buy 2.2 million barrels of russian diesel, equivalent to u.s. consumption in one day.
“The 2.2 million barrels of diesel he proposes to buy from russia amount to what the u.s. consumes in less than a day”
Trump's betrayal of ukraine
Trump halted u.s. arms deliveries to ukraine after mocking zelensky's leadership in february 2025.
“Trump said zelensky was going to lose the war to russia because he didn’t have the cards”
Graham's support for trump
Graham praised trump and jd vance for standing up for the country despite ukraine crisis.
“Somebody asked me if i was embarrassed about president trump. i have never been more proud of the president”
Ukraine war consequences
Ukraine's resilience against russia led to sweden and finland joining nato, but trump halted arms deliveries.
“Ukraine has proved a marvel of improvisation and scrappy resilience”
Trump's meeting with putin
Trump met putin in alaska in august 2025, arranging a military flyover and applauding him.
“Trump announced that he was meeting with putin in alaska”
Moral consequences
Trump's deal empowers russia, iran, and china while undermining u.s. moral authority.
“Every dollar we spend on russian diesel can be spent on missiles and drones aimed not only at kyiv and kherson”
Graham's legacy
Charen argues graham embodied moral cowardice by supporting trump's policies.
“You came to embody the moral cowardice and self-delusion of an entire political party”
Graham's final assessment
Charen calls graham's support for trump the worst possible bargain for america's values.
“If you ever really cared about america’s values or even its basic welfare, you made the worst possible bargain”
Here's the gist
Mona Charen argues Lindsey Graham's support for Trump's Russia diesel deal contradicts his earlier advocacy for Ukraine and international norms.
