Transcript: GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan,” June 21, 2026
The following is a transcript of an interview with Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina that aired on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” on June 21, 2026.
MARGARET BRENNAN
South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, joining us from Seneca. Hello to you, Senator.
SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM
Hello. Hello.
MARGARET BRENNAN
There is much that has not been clarified here in this agreement, but he wrote nine days ago that the idea of the US plan with our partners to create a fund of at least 300 billion dollars – this is the sixth point in the memorandum – is “tone deaf,” and “similar to the Marshall Plan of Germany and the Nazis who are still in power.” Why did you change your position–
SEN. GRAHAM
It would be–
MARGARET BRENNAN
–and now you support it?
SEN. GRAHAM
Because before, I thought that money came from the West. If the West supports Iran, I think that would be a Marshall Plan with Nazi Germany still in charge. If the system has an idea–
MARGARET BRENNAN
Is it ok if it’s not from the US?
SEN. GRAHAM
– Sunni Arabs- yes, if Sunni Arabs do it. Can you imagine if Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates invest 300 billion in Iran? That would tell me that Iran has changed. Of all the experts out there, do you think Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates will invest in Iran, a theocracy bent on destroying Sunni Islam? So, think – think well. If the money comes from a Sunni Arab country, I hope it will happen. It could mean that Sunni Arabs believe that Iran has changed enough to want to be a business partner. I pray for that to happen. I doubt if it will happen.
MARGARET BRENNAN
He doubts if it will happen. However, I want to ask you about some of the criticisms of the deal from your Republican colleagues. Listen.
[START SOUND ON TAPE]SENATOR TED CRUZ
If we give Iran billions of dollars, that money will be used to kill Americans, so I don’t believe we should do that.
SENATOR JOHN CORNYN
They will use the proceeds to rebuild their ballistic missile arsenal and start enriching again, and that will be a continuing threat.
SENENT COTTON
That money, Brooke, we know is not going to build new hospitals or nurseries, it’s going to replenish their drone stocks, their missiles to support terrorists like Hezbollah and Hamas.
SENATOR CASSIDY’S BILL
We have 13 Americans dead. We’ve spent anywhere from $25 to $100 billion on weapons and it turns out we’ve lost a credible threat to strike again. So, there’s a lot of bad stuff out there.
[END SOUND ON TAPE]MARGARET BRENNAN
All those Republicans are very skeptical of the president here, Senator Graham. Do you agree with their concerns?
SEN. GRAHAM
No, I don’t want to. We don’t give any money to Iran to change history to try diplomacy. Is the MOU a problem? Yes. I’d rather try diplomacy than take it off the table. Iran’s income will not change Iran’s future. It is not enough to rebuild the country. If you don’t have a way to deal with the MOU, you will have to go to war or some other form of coercion. Let’s try this. Let’s try the embassy solution. I think it will fail. What happens next? I spent four and a half hours with President Trump on Friday. Here’s what I think will happen next. If this deal fails, President Trump will take the Strait of Hormuz by force. The United States will control the Strait of Hormuz. We will charge a fee to all those who pass through to pay for the work, and we will extend the Abrahamic Covenants in the calendar year of 2026. We will get Saudi Arabia to join the Abraham Accords, too – the biggest change in 5,000 years in the Mideast. And if Iran opposes the control of the Strait of Hormuz by the United States, we will destroy it. So, for all the people listening, if this diplomatic effort fails, President Trump will take over the Strait of Hormuz.
MARGARET BRENNAN
Yes.
SEN. GRAHAM
We will run it. We will try to get Saudi Arabia to join the Abraham Accords to end the Arab-Israeli conflict in 2026, and if Iran continues to attack Israel and Lebanon, the new policy will be, we will hit Iran. So, for the Iranian people, if you are listening, when you use Hezbollah to attack Israel, I think the new policy will be, we will attack Iran.
MARGARET BRENNAN
You have just laid out how you can turn what you think is a flawed document into an opportunity, but you also suggest there that you can get Benjamin Netanyahu, or whoever is the next Prime Minister of Israel, to see a Palestinian state, which is the price of getting along with Saudi Arabia. How can you do that on the brink of an election?
SEN. GRAHAM
Well, for about two years, Margaret, in case you missed it, I went to Riyadh and Jerusalem, working normally with President Biden.
MARGARET BRENNAN
Yes.
SEN. GRAHAM
We were going to announce the framework for Saudi to join the Abraham Accords, again – at the end of October in 2023. Iran attacked on October 7. That created a real problem. The Arab world is very upset about Gaza, and everyone in Israel is very upset about October 7, but we will continue where we left off. And Donald Trump will give me and others the strength to jump in and start what we are trying to do to get Saudi Arabia to join Israel. There will be accommodations made by Saudi and Israel. For Saudi and Israel, you have no better friend than Donald Trump. To Bibi, Donald Trump stood by you when other people didn’t. I am not asking you to do anything that will jeopardize the future of Israel’s security, but I am asking you to be open to extending the Abrahamic Covenant and find a solution for the Palestinians that is good for Israel, and frankly, good for the world. In Saudi Arabia, now is the time to open negotiations and–
MARGARET BRENNAN
Yes.
SEN. GRAHAM
–that you may extend the covenants of Abraham, that you may join. I think this will happen in 2026–
MARGARET BRENNAN
Wow.
SEN. GRAHAM
–and it won’t happen until Iran steps into the box. If we get a deal, if we get a deal, Iran will be in the box. If we don’t get an agreement–
MARGARET BRENNAN
Yes.
SEN. GRAHAM
–Iran will be in the box. In Lebanon, for the people of Lebanon, help is on the way. Hezbollah has been attacking your country by–
MARGARET BRENNAN
Yes.
SEN. GRAHAM
— a long time. That’s about to end.
MARGARET BRENNAN
Senator, I have some questions to get to based on your responsibilities on the Judiciary- the Judiciary Committee. President Trump appeared to undermine his nominee, Jay Clayton, who was to be nominated by confirmation hearing last week to serve as Director of National Intelligence. He told her not to listen, which left Bill Pulte, the controversial head of the Federal Housing Agency, with no intelligence background or security clearance, in charge. Are you comfortable giving Pulte the keys to 18 agencies?
SEN. GRAHAM
I think what we had had to happen. I think Clayton should be the new DNI. President Trump was told that Democrats would not support the reauthorization of FISA, and he angrily pulled it out of the deal. They will do it. Mark Warner told me that there are enough votes to get FISA reauthorized, and I will urge President Trump to let Clayton testify. And if we appoint Clayton and get him confirmed as the new DNI, we don’t want FISA in the dark. There are so many threats in our country that they are 702. Anyone who owns a 702 warrant under FISA will have an upcoming attack against the United States. We are playing with fire here.
MARGARET BRENNAN
Did you spend time with President Trump this past week? Did you say to yourself that you will do what you just said?
SEN. GRAHAM
I will- I will let him- I will let him speak for himself. But I told him that any Democrat who shuts down FISA at a time of great danger to the United States is making a big mistake. It could be the same with the Trump administration. We need FISA enforcement. So, here’s what I hope will happen: that Clayton will appear before the committee, we will confirm him, and we will get FISA reauthorized, just like the original plan was. I think the Democratic Alliance votes are there. We are playing with fire here, no matter which side it is on.
MARGARET BRENNAN
Yes.
SEN. GRAHAM
America needs FISA to continue working.
MARGARET BRENNAN
Well, this- you’re talking about a surveillance tool that allows concerned foreigners abroad to–
SEN. GRAHAM
Yes.
MARGARET BRENNAN
–guarded there.
SEN. GRAHAM
Yes. Yes.
MARGARET BRENNAN
Bill- Bill Pulte–
SEN. GRAHAM
Yes.
MARGARET BRENNAN
–he went after the president’s perceived political enemies and is accused of using data on private homes and equipping them. Mark Warner told us on this show last week, because he doesn’t know anything, he can do damage. You are currently at work. Are you dangerous?
SEN. GRAHAM
I’m fine right now, but I won’t be fine for much longer if we don’t fix FISA, and I think Clayton is the right choice.
MARGARET BRENNAN
That’s right.
SEN. GRAHAM
Clayton gained confidence from both sides.
MARGARET BRENNAN
Yes.
SEN. GRAHAM
Let’s put him in an important job. And I thought it was an outstanding–
MARGARET BRENNAN
That’s right.
SEN. GRAHAM
— President Trump’s pick and let’s get this–
MARGARET BRENNAN
That’s right.
SEN. GRAHAM
–get back on track. We can’t, you know–
MARGARET BRENNAN
Yes.
SEN. GRAHAM
— should, should–
MARGARET BRENNAN
Yes, I should–
SEN. GRAHAM
-see that their people want to blow us all up and kill us and they are coming when–
MARGARET BRENNAN
I have to wrap this up.
SEN. GRAHAM
–we don’t stop them.
MARGARET BRENNAN
That’s right.
SEN. GRAHAM
And if we don’t put Iran in the box, we’re in trouble. So, let’s do it.
MARGARET BRENNAN
Senator–
SEN. GRAHAM
Let’s stop talking and do it.
MARGARET BRENNAN
Senator Graham, thank you very much. I have to go on vacation. We will be right back.
