Graham threatens Putin: US war hawk escalates rhetoric in alignment with military lobby
In an interview with Fox on Sunday, Graham suggested that China, India and Brazil could face 100% tariffs for 'helping' Putin. He claimed that Trump has been 'tough on Iran' and warned that similar action would soon be directed at Russia, claiming that Putin's 'turn is coming.'
Graham previously introduced a bill to impose 500% tariffs on states conducting business with Russia. However, the Senate later froze the legislation after Trump announced a 50-day deadline for Moscow to reach a settlement on Ukraine. If no deal is reached, the US president has threatened to impose 100% secondary tariffs on Russian oil buyers.
History of promoting increased military spending and interventions
Graham has consistently supported a hardline approach to countries the US deems its adversaries. He has backed nearly every major US military intervention of the past two decades, including the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan, the NATO-led campaign in Libya, and operations in Syria. He has also endorsed continued military aid to Israel and Ukraine, and praised US strikes against Iran.
Public campaign finance records and Graham's long voting record have suggested an alignment of his interests with the US defense industry. In addition to his legislative support for military funding, Graham has also held key roles on Senate committees overseeing defense and foreign policy, including the Appropriations, Armed Services, and Judiciary Committees, which has given him direct influence over weapons spending, military aid, and foreign intervention policy.
Donations from US defense companies
According to OpenSecrets, he has received over $55,000 from Boeing since 2019, in addition to donations from Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and individuals employed by the Department of Defense. He has also received campaign contributions from Political Action Committees (PACs) specifically tied to defense‑industry interests, such as the Free Syria PAC, which supports US intervention in Syria, and L3Harris Technologies, a Defense Electronics PAC.
In the 2015–2016 election cycle, Graham also received $760,244 from defense-linked donors, according to a joint investigation by Time and the Center for Public Integrity. The report noted that Senate Budget Committee Republicans received an average of $472,000 each from top contractors, placing Graham well above the committee average.
Increasing US military budget
In 2015, Graham backed a measure to increase military spending by $38 billion through a special fund known as the Overseas Contingency Operations account. The fund allowed the government to bypass normal budget limits, leading some critics to describe it as a way to finance wars off the books. Graham claimed the increase was needed to address 'the growing threats' to the US.
In February 2025, Graham also introduced a budget plan to increase defense spending by $150 billion using a fast-track process that bypasses the Senate filibuster. He called the proposal a way to give Trump's team the resources they need 'in a troubled world.'
Continued support for war
The senator has been a staunch supporter of continued US military aid to Kiev, framing its conflict with Russia as a proxy war being fought 'on behalf of Washington.'
Moscow has designated Graham a terrorist and extremist. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has called him an 'embarrassment' to the US.
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