Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) says he met with Israeli intelligence officials several times in the weeks before the war with Iran and advised Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on how to urge President Donald Trump to authorize U.S. strikes, according to a March 6 report from The Wall Street Journal.
The outlet reported that Graham has pushed for aggressive action against Iran for years and had repeatedly urged Trump to pursue military action. He argued Iran posed a threat but was also strategically weakened, presenting a crucial opportunity for the United States to act.
Graham also used U.S. strikes on Iran in June 2025 as leverage, trying to convince Trump to pursue regime change instead of negotiations favored by other politicians.
“I said, ‘They don’t want to deal,’” he told the Journal. “They’re not trying to buy a house. They’re trying to burn your house down.”
Graham additionally enlisted the help of retired Army Gen. Jack Keane and Marc Thiessen, former director of speechwriting for President George W. Bush, to advocate for military action. According to the Journal, the three men “took turns calling the president,” wrote opinion pieces, and appeared on television to push for strikes on Iran. Graham told the outlet that “there were not a lot of other voices” advocating for military action at the time.
The Journal reported that Graham later escalated pressure on Trump by making several trips to Israel shortly before the war broke out to meet with the country’s intelligence agency, saying, “They’ll tell me things our own government won’t tell me.” He said he also met with Netanyahu, who “showed the president intelligence that persuaded Trump to go ahead,” the Journal added.
The outlet also reported that Graham is unconcerned about exiting the war and has encouraged Trump to bomb “Iranian and Hezbollah elements in Lebanon.” The president reportedly said he would consider the idea.
Graham said he supports Trump’s handling of the war, adding, “What I don’t understand is why more people don’t do it. Try to shape these events.”
“This is a moment of world history here,” he continued, according to the Journal. “Just jump in the deep end of the pool.”