Transcript: Lindsey Graham on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," June 21, 2026

The pursuing is the transcript of the interrogation with Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina that aired connected "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" connected June 21, 2026.

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MARGARET BRENNAN

South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, who joins america from Seneca. Good greeting to you, Senator.

SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM

Good morning. Good morning.

MARGARET BRENNAN

There's a batch that inactive hasn't been figured retired present successful this deal, but you wrote 9 days agone the thought of a US program with partners to make a money of astatine slightest $300 billion- this is constituent six successful the memorandum- is "tone deaf," and it's "akin to a Marshall Plan for Germany with the Nazis inactive successful charge." Why did you alteration your position--

SEN. GRAHAM

It would be--

MARGARET BRENNAN

--and present you enactment it?

SEN. GRAHAM

Because before, I thought the wealth was coming from the West. If the West funds Iran, I deliberation that would beryllium a Marshall Plan with a Nazi inactive successful complaint for Germany. If the program envisions--

MARGARET BRENNAN

You're good if it doesn't travel from the U.S.?

SEN. GRAHAM

--the Sunni Arabs- yeah, if the Sunni Arabs bash it. Can you ideate if Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates put $300 cardinal successful Iran? That would archer maine that Iran has changed. To each the experts retired there, bash you deliberation Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates are going to put successful Iran, with a theocracy bent connected destroying Sunni Islam? So, think- deliberation it through. If the wealth comes from the Sunni Arab world, I anticipation it happens. It would mean that the Sunni Arabs judge that Iran has changed to the constituent they privation to beryllium a concern partner. I commune that happens. I uncertainty if it will.

MARGARET BRENNAN

You uncertainty if it will. Well, I privation to inquire you astir immoderate of the disapproval of the statement from your chap Republican colleagues. Take a listen.

[START SOUND ON TAPE]

SENATOR TED CRUZ

If we springiness billions of dollars to Iran, that wealth volition beryllium utilized to execution Americans, and truthful I don't judge we should bash that.

SENATOR JOHN CORNYN

They'll usage the wealth that is being released to rebuild their- their ballistic rocket arsenal and statesman to enrich again, and that's going to beryllium a continuing danger.

SENATOR TOM COTTON

That money, Brooke, we cognize is not going to spell to physique caller hospitals oregon daycares, it's going to spell to replenish their drone stockpiles, their missiles to enactment terrorists similar Hezbollah and Hamas.

SENATOR BILL CASSIDY

We person 13 Americans dead. We spent anyplace from $25 to $100 cardinal successful munitions and it turns retired we've mislaid the credible menace of attacking them again. So, there's a batch of worldly successful determination that's bad.

[END SOUND ON TAPE]

MARGARET BRENNAN

All of those Republicans are earnestly doubting the president here, Senator Graham. Do you hold with their concerns?

SEN. GRAHAM

No, I don't. We're not giving immoderate wealth to Iran that tin alteration the people of past to effort diplomacy. Is the MOU problematic? Yeah. I'd alternatively effort diplomacy than instrumentality it disconnected the table. The wealth Iran gets is not going to alteration the aboriginal of Iran. It's not capable to reconstruct the country. If you don't person a diplomatic way done the MOU, past you person to spell to warfare oregon immoderate different signifier of coercion. Let's effort this. Let's effort a diplomatic solution. I deliberation it's going to fail. What happens next? I spent four-and-a-half hours with President Trump, Friday. Here's what I deliberation volition hap next. If this woody fails, President Trump is going to instrumentality the Strait of Hormuz implicit by force. The United States volition power the Strait of Hormuz. We'll complaint a interest for each those who spell through- done to wage for the operation, and we're going to grow the Abraham Accords successful calendar twelvemonth 2026. We're going to get Saudi Arabia to articulation the Abraham Accords, and- which is the biggest alteration successful 5,000 years successful the Mideast. And if Iran contests power of the Strait of Hormuz by the United States, we volition obliterate them. So, to each the radical listening, if this diplomatic effort fails, President Trump is going to instrumentality the Strait of Hormuz.

MARGARET BRENNAN

Yeah.

SEN. GRAHAM

We're going to tally it. We're going to effort to get Saudi Arabia to articulation the Abraham Accords to extremity the Arab-Israeli struggle successful 2026, and if Iran continues to onslaught Israel and Lebanon, the caller argumentation volition be, we'll deed Iran. So, to the Iranians, if you're listening, erstwhile you usage Hezbollah to onslaught Israel, I deliberation the caller argumentation volition be, we volition onslaught Iran.

MARGARET BRENNAN

You person conscionable laid retired however you could crook what you deliberation is simply a flawed papers into an opportunity, but you're besides suggesting determination that you tin get Benjamin Netanyahu, oregon whoever is the adjacent Prime Minister of Israel, to admit the Palestinian state, which is the terms of normalization with Saudi Arabia. How could you bash that connected the brink of an election?

SEN. GRAHAM

Well, for astir 2 years, Margaret, successful lawsuit you missed this, I went to Riyadh and Jerusalem, moving connected normalization with President Biden.

MARGARET BRENNAN

Yes.

SEN. GRAHAM

We were going to denote a model to person Saudi articulation the Abraham Accords, and- astatine the extremity of October successful 2023. Iran attacked connected October 7. That created a existent problem. The Arab satellite is precise upset astir Gaza, and everybody successful Israel is precise upset astir October 7, but we're going to prime up wherever we near off. And Donald Trump is going to empower maine and others to jump-start what we- an effort to get Saudi to articulation Israel. There volition beryllium accommodations made by Saudi and Israel. To Saudi and Israel, you person nary amended person than Donald Trump. To Bibi, Donald Trump stood by you erstwhile different radical wouldn't. I'm not asking you to bash thing to jeopardize the aboriginal of Israel's security, but I americium asking you to beryllium unfastened to expanding the Abraham Accords and uncovering a solution to Palestinians that are bully for Israel, and rather frankly, bully for the world. To the- to Saudi Arabia, present is the clip to unfastened negotiations yet again--

MARGARET BRENNAN

Yeah.

SEN. GRAHAM

--for you to grow the Abraham Accords, for you to join. I deliberation this is going to hap successful 2026--

MARGARET BRENNAN

Wow.

SEN. GRAHAM

--and it can't hap until Iran's successful a box. If we get a deal, if we get a deal, Iran volition beryllium successful a box. If we don't get a deal--

MARGARET BRENNAN

Yeah.

SEN. GRAHAM

--Iran volition beryllium successful a box. To Lebanon, to the radical successful Lebanon, assistance is connected the way. Hezbollah has been terrorizing your state for--

MARGARET BRENNAN

Yes.

SEN. GRAHAM

--a agelong time. That's astir to end.

MARGARET BRENNAN

Senator, I person different questions I request to get to based connected your responsibilities successful the Judiciary- successful the Judiciary Committee. President Trump appeared to sabotage his ain nominee, Jay Clayton, who was going to beryllium the nominee with a confirmation proceeding past week to tally the Director of National Intelligence. He told him not to amusement up astatine his hearing, truthful that near Bill Pulte, this arguable caput of the Federal Housing Agency, who has nary anterior quality inheritance oregon information clearance, successful charge. Are you comfy with giving Pulte the keys to the 18 agencies?

SEN. GRAHAM

I deliberation what we had successful spot should happen. I deliberation Clayton should beryllium the caller DNI. President Trump was told that Democrats were not going to enactment FISA reauthorization, and helium got huffy and pulled retired of the agreement. They will. Mark Warner told maine that determination are capable votes to get FISA reauthorized, and I would impulse President Trump to fto Clayton testify. And if we nominate Clayton and get him affirmed arsenic the caller DNI, we don't privation FISA to spell dark. There's excessively galore threats to our state for 702 to spell down. Anybody who owns the shutting down of 702 nether FISA volition ain a aboriginal onslaught against the United States. We're playing with occurrence here.

MARGARET BRENNAN

Did you- you said you spent clip with President Trump this past week? Did helium accidental to you that helium volition bash what you conscionable laid out?

SEN. GRAHAM

I'll- I'll let- I'll fto him talk for himself. But I told him that immoderate Democrat that shuts down FISA astatine a clip of large peril for the United States is making a immense mistake. The aforesaid would beryllium existent of the Trump administration. We request FISA up and running. So, here's what I anticipation volition happen: that Clayton volition look earlier the committee, we'll get him confirmed, and we'll get FISA reauthorized, arsenic the archetypal program was. I deliberation the Democratic votes are there. We're playing with occurrence here, nary substance what broadside does it.

MARGARET BRENNAN

Yeah.

SEN. GRAHAM

America needs FISA up and running.

MARGARET BRENNAN

Well, this- you're talking astir the surveillance instrumentality that allows for foreigners of interest overseas to be--

SEN. GRAHAM

Yeah.

MARGARET BRENNAN

--monitored there.

SEN. GRAHAM

Yeah. Yes.

MARGARET BRENNAN

Bill- Bill Pulte--

SEN. GRAHAM

Yeah.

MARGARET BRENNAN

--went aft the president's perceived governmental enemies and is accused of utilizing backstage owe information and weaponizing it. Mark Warner told america connected this programme past week, due to the fact that he's truthful ignorant, helium could bash damage. He's connected the occupation close now. Is helium a risk?

SEN. GRAHAM

I'm good close now, but I won't beryllium good overmuch longer if we don't get FISA up and running, and I deliberation Clayton's the cleanable pick.

MARGARET BRENNAN

Okay.

SEN. GRAHAM

Clayton has got the assurance of some sides.

MARGARET BRENNAN

Yeah.

SEN. GRAHAM

Let's get him successful a occupation that truly matters. And I thought it was an outstanding--

MARGARET BRENNAN

Okay.

SEN. GRAHAM

--choice by President Trump and let's get this--

MARGARET BRENNAN

Okay.

SEN. GRAHAM

--back connected track. We can't, you know--

MARGARET BRENNAN

Yeah.

SEN. GRAHAM

--we gotta, we gotta--

MARGARET BRENNAN

Yeah, I gotta--

SEN. GRAHAM

--realize that their radical privation to stroke america each up and termination america and they're coming if--

MARGARET BRENNAN

I gotta wrapper this.

SEN. GRAHAM

--we don't halt them.

MARGARET BRENNAN

Okay.

SEN. GRAHAM

And if we don't get Iran successful a box, we're successful trouble. So, let's bash it.

MARGARET BRENNAN

Senator--

SEN. GRAHAM

Let's halt talking and get it done.

MARGARET BRENNAN

Senator Graham, convey you precise much. Got to spell to a break. We'll beryllium close back.