Sen. Lindsey Graham said Sunday that President Trump came out “pretty good” from former FBI Director James Comey’s testimony before the Senate Intelligence Committee last week, but he’s worried Trump will derail his own presidency.
On CBS’ “Face the Nation,” Graham, a former competitor and critic of Trump in the presidential campaign, said he has not seen evidence that Trump or his campaign colluded with the Russians, and he dismissed allegations that the president obstructed justice.
But Graham, R-S.C., also criticized Trump’s behavior toward Comey, and he warned that Trump “may become the first president in history to go down because you can’t stop inappropriately talking about an investigation.”
“The hearing was pretty good,” Graham said in an interview with CBS’ John Dickerson. “No collusion with the Russians yet. I don’t think obstruction of justice exists here.”
“What the president did was inappropriate,” Graham added. “Here is what is so frustrating for Republicans like me. You may be the first president in history to go down because you can’t stop inappropriately talking about an investigation that if you just were quiet would clear you.”
Graham challenged Trump to “not make a circus out of your presidency” and to not “get in the way” of his own -— and Congress’ — policy agenda.
He vowed the Senate this week will pass a bill to sanction Russia for its interference in the 2016 presidential election, promising Congress would override Trump if he tried to veto the legislation.
“We are going to punish the Russians,” Graham said. “If the president doesn’t sign this bill, he would be betraying democracy. If he doesn’t, we will override his veto. You are commander in chief. You need to stand up to Russia. That starts with more sanctions.”
