'If America pulls the plug on Israel, God will pull the plug on us,' US Senator Graham tells fellow Republicans

In a speech to fellow South Carolina Republicans on Wednesday, U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham said, “If America pulls the plug on Israel, God will pull the plug on us.”

“To people in my party: I’m tired of this crap,” Graham said, referencing the fact that criticism of Israel has become more commonplace among conservatives.

“Israel is our friend,” he continued. “They’re the most reliable friend we have in the Mideast. They’re a democracy, surrounded by people who would cut their throats if they could. This is not a hard choice if you’re an American.”

Graham went on to say that siding with Israel “is not a hard choice if you’re a Christian.”

“A word of warning: If America pulls the plug on Israel, God will pull the plug on us. And we’re not gonna let that happen.”

He also praised U.S. President Donald Trump for his consistent support of Israel.

“President Trump has stood with Israel at the most difficult time since its founding,” he said. “When it comes to foreign policy, President Trump has stood up for all the right things, and he stood up against wrong things. Just like Reagan,” he added, referring to the late Republican U.S. President Ronald Reagan (1981-1989).

Since Oct. 7, 2023, Graham has consistently supported the Israeli military's actions in Gaza.

“We’re in a religious war here,” he said three days after the Hamas attack.

“I am with Israel. Do whatever the hell you have to do to defend yourself. Level the place.”

Graham’s unwavering position stands in contrast to a small but growing faction within his own party that has voiced sharp criticism of Israel’s actions.

Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett warned this week that support for Israel – once rock-solid among Republicans – is beginning to erode, in part because of poor messaging from Netanyahu’s government. He noted that even longtime allies are finding it harder to defend Israel, pointing to conservative figures, such as Tucker Carlson and U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, as examples of influential voices questioning Israel’s military campaigns in Gaza and against Iran.

Conservative American political commentator and television personality Tucker Carlson began publicly criticizing U.S. support for Israel – and questioning the U.S.–Israel relationship – at least as early as April 2024.

Last month, Carlson accused Israel of 'committing crimes' in America, and claimed that Jeffrey Epstein was an Israeli agent.

Greene, a U.S. congresswoman from Georgia, became the first Republican in Congress to refer to Israel’s military operations in Gaza as a “genocide.”

“It’s the most truthful and easiest thing to say that Oct 7th in Israel was horrific and all hostages must be returned, but so is the genocide, humanitarian crisis, and starvation happening in Gaza,” she wrote on 𝕏.