The Best Way To Honor Lindsey Graham’s Legacy? Defeat the Bad Guys

Senator Lindsey Graham’s sudden passing leaves a huge void in the U.S. Senate and among the ranks of international statesmen. The fact that his untimely death has provoked warm tributes from colleagues on both sides of the aisle – not to mention from heads of state, dissidents, and freedom lovers around the world – is a testament to what an extraordinary Senator and human being he was.

Lindsey’s talent for politics enabled him to advance the policies that mattered to him, and it made him one of our most effective lawmakers. He worked with all comers on these causes – Democrats and Republicans alike – if it advanced the nation’s most fundamental truths. He was loyal above all to his country and to the principles that make it great, and never lost his appreciation for the extraordinary opportunity he had been given as a Member of the upper chamber to make America – and the world – a better place.

Lindsey’s work on the Judiciary Committee was critical to protecting our constitutional order, and he was an extremely effective advocate for the conservative principles that have enabled this country to flourish. And he was, of course, passionately committed to advancing his vision of American foreign policy, rooted in the Reaganite understanding that peace can only be secured through strength.

The strength of these convictions was rooted in his deep understanding of right and wrong, and his determination that America should always stand on the side of what is true and good. It’s why he remained a stalwart advocate for Ukraine, even when others in the party sought to put an end to America’s support for Kyiv in its existential fight for freedom. It’s why he never wavered in his support for the right of the Iranian people to determine their own destiny, and understood that there could be no peace for the region as long as the Islamic Republic survived. And it’s why there was no better friend to Israel than Lindsey, whose commitment to this critical ally, and to the Jewish people, reflected his deeply held values.

I had the privilege of calling Lindsey a friend, and saw firsthand how he put those principles into action – exercising the powers of his office with both humble appreciation and an infectious sense of joie de vivre. No matter how many years he had spent on the Hill, he maintained a sense of excitement and awe at the privilege of being in a position to advance the issues he cared about.

I saw that firsthand on many occasions – first as a junior backbench congressman, and Senator Graham and Senator Joe Lieberman kindly included me in the delegation to the Munich Security Conference. He didn’t need to do that, and he certainly didn’t need to spend hours in conversation with me about America’s role in the world – freely sharing his views and inviting my input and challenges to his ideas. I saw it again when I was nominated to become CIA Director, and then as Secretary of State, when he helped me navigate tough problems abroad and in Washington.

I later learned that Senator Graham had been among those who suggested to President Trump that he choose his CIA Director to lead the Administration’s foreign policy team back in 2018. I will be forever grateful for his advocacy for me and for his essential assistance in the successes we had in that first term.

The best way we can honor Lindsey’s legacy is to stay true to his principles, and to do what he loved best: Keep America strong and free and beat the bad guys. Let’s give the Ukrainians what they need to defeat Vladimir Putin, and show that his warmed-over Soviet adventurism will not be tolerated. Let’s ensure the evil Iranian dictatorship can never again hold the world hostage, and open up space for the Iranian people to live in freedom. And let’s create the conditions where more and more countries can join the Abraham Accords and usher in a new era of peace and prosperity for this critical region.

With the passing of Senator Graham, his family has lost someone who loved them deeply. The Senate has lost a believer in that body’s essential role in preserving democracy. Our nation has lost a great patriot and warrior. And I have lost a friend and mentor whose kindness to me was immeasurable.