President Trump stood before a packed Washington National Cathedral on Tuesday and delivered a heartfelt eulogy for the late Senator Lindsey Graham, calling him a giant of the Senate, a respected statesman, and a genuine American original. And then, because this is Donald Trump we are talking about, he recited the man's phone number from memory. At his funeral. Classic.
Graham passed away unexpectedly on July 11 at age 71 after suffering an aortic tear, and Tuesday's ceremony was the culmination of a full day honoring the South Carolina Republican who spent over three decades roaming the halls of Congress.
Trump reflected on Graham's enormous influence, noting that nothing of consequence went down in the capital without Lindsey being in the loop. No legislation became law without his input. The president said Graham gave this country the full measure of his good and mighty heart, until that heart itself just gave out.
But let's be honest, you're here for the phone number story. Trump reminisced about one of the wildest moments from the 2016 Republican primary, when Graham was criticizing him on the campaign trail. Trump's response? He read Graham's personal cell number out loud on live television to millions of viewers. At the funeral, Trump actually repeated the number again, 202-228-0292, and told the crowd they could give it a shot if they wanted. Graham's phone, as the president recalled, absolutely exploded.
According to Trump, Graham later complained that he'd had that same number for twenty years before it became the most famous digits in American politics. But Trump said Graham got the last laugh, because while he only blew up the senator's phone for one day, Graham never stopped calling him for the next decade. Only in politics can doxxing someone's cell number be the origin story of a beautiful friendship.
The funeral attracted a stunning lineup of power players, reflecting Graham's outsized role in world affairs. Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and a huge chunk of Congress were all present. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also attended, both leaders Graham had championed throughout his career.
Earlier that day, Graham's flag-draped casket lay in honor at the Capitol Rotunda, where Vance and Senate Majority Leader John Thune offered their own tributes. Thune praised Graham's tireless work ethic, his humor, and his ability to forge relationships across the aisle. Nearly every sitting senator showed up for the Rotunda ceremony before heading to the Cathedral.
Graham's sister, Senator Darline Graham, who was recently appointed to fill the remainder of his term, sat with family during the service. Trump acknowledged her, calling her part of Lindsey's enduring legacy as she gears up to pursue a full term.
A second memorial service is planned for Wednesday in South Carolina, where Graham will be laid to rest in his home state. One final goodbye for a man who, love him or hate him, made sure nobody in Washington could ever ignore him.
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