Sen. Lindsey Graham warns against abandoning Israel

U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham declared Wednesday that “if America pulls the plug on Israel, God will pull the plug on us,” in remarks at a South Carolina Republican Party meeting. His comments came as part of a forceful defense of Israel and condemnation of Hamas.

“If Israel wanted to commit genocide, they could. They have the capability to do that. They choose not to,” Graham said. “Hamas they would commit genocide in 30 seconds. They just can’t.” He emphasized, “Israel is not the bad guys. They’re the good guys. The bad guys are the radical Islamists who would kill everybody in this room if they could.”

The statement drew sharp criticism from Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who accused Graham of revealing the “quiet part out loud.” On X/Twitter, she argued that his acknowledgment of Israel’s military capabilities undercuts the argument for continued U.S. aid. She framed his stance as inconsistent with the “America First” policy championed during the Trump administration, warning that such foreign commitments burden U.S. taxpayers and contribute to debt, inflation, and a declining middle class.

Greene also suggested that trips to Israel offered to conservative influencers influence political loyalty, while calling Graham’s “pulling the plug” comment a fear-mongering tactic. “We don’t believe we go to heaven based on how much money we blindly give and how many bombs we drop on the secular government of Israel’s enemies,” she wrote.

Graham’s remarks reflect his long-standing support for strong U.S.-Israel ties, rooted in both strategic and moral arguments. Greene’s pushback underscores divisions within the Republican Party over the scope and purpose of American foreign aid.

Israel remains a key ally in U.S. Middle East policy, but the debate over the scale and nature of that partnership continues to spark heated exchanges in Washington.

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