Lindsey Graham ‘almost cried’ tears of joy over war on Iran, footage shows

Lead

Newly released footage shows the late Senator Lindsey Graham claiming credit for persuading President Donald Trump to join Israel in going to war against Iran, saying he "almost cried" with joy when the conflict began, and offering to lobby Trump on behalf of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to attack Lebanon too, as reported by Al Jazeera.

The footage comes from a planned documentary by British filmmaker Alex Holder, who was granted special access to shadow Graham over the past three years. Holder shared excerpts from more than 400 hours of footage with the Wall Street Journal, according to Al Jazeera's report.

Coverage Comparison

The Intercept's coverage of the escalation with Iran frames the conflict in the context of a broader critique of U.S. foreign policy, particularly the influence of figures like Graham. The Intercept quoted national security reporter Spencer Ackerman, who writes the Substack Forever Wars, saying, "This is a formula for a forever war." Ackerman described Graham as someone who "never met a war he didn't like, never met a war he didn't want to send other people's children to wage."

Al Jazeera's reporting focuses on the newly released footage, presenting Graham as a key advocate for military action against Iran and Lebanon. The outlet's coverage highlights Graham's own words, showing him laughing and expressing delight after the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran began.

Key Claims

• The U.S. launched airstrikes against Iran, as reported by The Intercept and Al Jazeera.
• Iran has targeted U.S. allies in the Middle East in response, as reported by The Intercept.
• Congress is debating the U.S.-Israel military partnership, including a proposal called the United States–Israel Defense Technology Cooperation Initiative, which would facilitate technology sharing between the two countries, according to The Intercept. This initiative is part of the National Defense Authorization Act.
• Graham claimed credit for persuading Trump to attack Iran, saying in the footage, "How long have we been pushing this? Look what we've done here. I almost cried." This claim was carried by Al Jazeera.
• Graham offered to lobby Trump on behalf of Netanyahu to attack Lebanon, as shown in the footage reported by Al Jazeera.
• The U.S. and Iran have exchanged strikes throughout the week, as reported by The Intercept.

Other Developments

Beyond the story of Graham's influence, The Intercept reported on several other developments during the same period. These include allegations of an undeclared war in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean, claims about Marco Rubio's role in Venezuela, and reports that at least 52 people have died in ICE custody during Trump's second term.

Perspectives

Pro-Graham/Trump administration perspective: The footage shows Graham and Trump celebrating the strikes as a success. This perspective, as presented in the footage, views the military action as a positive achievement.

Critical perspective: Critics, such as Spencer Ackerman, argue that such actions lead to "forever wars" and that Graham's influence helped maneuver Trump into pursuing a project of domination both at home and abroad. This perspective, as reported by The Intercept, criticizes the administration's foreign policy and its consequences.