President Donald Trump moved swiftly on Friday to reinforce his backing for Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), signaling that the South Carolina Republican remains a key ally in his second administrations agenda as the states GOP primary field appears to narrow.
According to The Daily Wire, Grahams principal challenger, Paul Dans, is reportedly exiting the race, a development first flagged by FITSNews and seemingly confirmed by the presidents public remarks. The Daily Wire noted that it reached out to the Dans campaign but did not immediately receive a response, leaving the circumstances of his apparent withdrawal unclear even as the political implications became immediately evident.
Paul Dans has just dropped out of the South Carolina Senatorial Race against the Great Lindsey Graham, Trump wrote, using his Truth Social platform to amplify the news to his base. It all started to fall apart for Paul when a very Low IQ individual named Tucker Carlson ENDORSED him THE KISS OF DEATH! Lindsey has a BIG lead, and is on his way to a spectacular VICTORY because he just, GETS THINGS DONE! the president added, casting Graham as the reliable conservative workhorse in the race.
Moments earlier, Trump had already trained his fire on Grahams remaining primary rival, Mark Lynch, underscoring how seriously the White House views efforts to unseat one of its most influential Senate partners. In a sharply worded Truth Social post, Trump defended Graham against critics who accuse the senator of being overly hawkish in the Middle East, particularly regarding Iran.
Senator Lindsey Graham is doing a fantastic job. He is running against a LUNATIC named Mark Lynch, who supports perhaps the Worst Congressman in the History of our Country, Thomas Massie, of the Great Commonwealth of Kentucky, Trump said, tying Lynch to a libertarian-leaning lawmaker often at odds with the conservative national-security wing of the party. I dont have to go into great detail, but needless to say, Mark Lynch would be a DISASTER for the Republican Party, and Lindsey Graham just, GETS THE JOB DONE. VOTE FOR LINDSEY ALL THE WAY, the president added, making clear where loyal Republicans should line up.
Lynch, for his part, has escalated his rhetoric against Graham, particularly on foreign policy and the administrations hard line against Tehran. Lindsey Graham represents a grave National Security threat to Americans, American soldiers, and to every man, woman, and child in the Middle East whether Iranian or Israeli, Lynch posted Friday. On June 9, we Dump Lindsey! he declared, embracing a message that echoes the isolationist fringe rather than the mainstream conservative commitment to peace through strength.
Trumps vocal support for Graham is consistent with their long-standing alliance, but it also serves as a pointed rebuke to critics of Operation Epic Fury in Iran, including a handful of podcasters the president derided on Thursday as Low IQ for attacking the war effort. With American forces engaged and U.S. interests on the line, the administration is clearly signaling that it will not cede the national-security debate to online commentators or anti-interventionist activists.
As chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, Graham holds a pivotal role in advancing Trumps defense priorities, particularly in securing funding for ongoing operations and future deterrence. Last week, the senator lauded the presidents fiscal year 2027 budget request, saying, President Trumps budget is truly historic when it comes to defense spending. It is the most robust increase in defense spending in many years, and it is more than justified by the threats we face throughout the world, adding, When it comes to our national security, President Trump and his team are second to none.
The Daily Wire reported that it also reached out to the Lynch campaign for comment, underscoring that while the insurgent challengers seek to harness populist frustration, the institutional weight of the Republican Party and the president himself remains firmly behind Graham as he steers the Senates budgetary power toward a stronger military and a more assertive American posture abroad.
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