WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today spoke on the Senate floor about peace through strength and moral clarity during dangerous times.

On moral clarity during dangerous times:

• GRAHAM: “There are so many things going on in the world right now that are very dangerous. You have Iran close to a nuclear breakout. You have the [Russia-Ukraine war]… We’ve got threats from China.” https://youtu.be/7QdErvIuatE?si=V0-X6tkjJE_8De10&t=31 

• GRAHAM: “My advice is when you have a hard decision to make, make sure you look at it through a moral clarity lens. Make it simple.” https://youtu.be/7QdErvIuatE?si=g2gSejAk7d715wGd&t=58

• GRAHAM: “Russia is the aggressor. Russia must end this bloodbath. That is my view of [the Russia-Ukraine war]. Let’s look in history and see what happens when you have moral clarity and see what happens when you lose it.” https://youtu.be/7QdErvIuatE?si=V0-X6tkjJE_8De10&t=566

• GRAHAM: “Hitler told [the world] what he was going to do, he wrote a book. But [former UK Prime Minister] Chamberlain obviously didn’t read the book and he didn’t have the moral clarity to confront the Nazi regime, and a lot of people died. September 30, 1938 [Chamberlain said] ‘I believe it is peace for our time.’ … Less than a year later, the world was on fire.” https://youtu.be/7QdErvIuatE?si=9GJNnus0en6x_S6R&t=643

• GRAHAM: “‘When all are free, then we can look forward to that day when this city will be joined as one and this country and this great continent of Europe in a peaceful and hopeful globe.’ [President John F. Kennedy] was talking about Berlin. Moral clarity to the Soviet Union.  He stood up for freedom and stood against the Soviet empire.” https://youtu.be/7QdErvIuatE?si=V0-X6tkjJE_8De10&t=718

• GRAHAM: “Ronald Reagan: ‘Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!’ How clear could you be? On the other side of this wall is an evil empire. That moral clarity, over time, brought the Soviet Union down to its knees.” https://youtu.be/7QdErvIuatE?si=V0-X6tkjJE_8De10&t=749

• GRAHAM: “When it comes to Putin we need to have moral clarity, as Reagan and Kennedy had with the Soviet Union.” https://youtu.be/7QdErvIuatE?si=V0-X6tkjJE_8De10&t=802

On President Trump’s leadership:

• GRAHAM: “When President Trump focuses on fixing a problem and righting a wrong, he gets good results...”  https://youtu.be/7QdErvIuatE?si=dLexQA5p4jz6rlQA&t=339

• GRAHAM: “He is standing up to China – and the world – who have been ripping us off on trade.” https://youtu.be/7QdErvIuatE?si=em0BEqdRQ0noNzhe&t=308

• GRAHAM: “When [President Trump] got in office, one of his top priorities was to fix a broken border. Look what’s happened…He’s turned it all off because he was firm and resolved with Mexico and others. His border policies have worked.” https://youtu.be/7QdErvIuatE?si=BaLGLKsqVGj9HRCd&t=363

• GRAHAM: “What has [President Trump] said about Iran? ‘You know it’s not a complicated formula. Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. That’s all there is.’ That’s moral clarity. You can understand that no matter where you’re at on the planet.” https://youtu.be/7QdErvIuatE?si=sOxbu_x3XKBdCBOm&t=436

• GRAHAM: “I appreciate President Trump’s earnest effort to bring the parties together to find a solution we can all live with, to keep an independent sovereign Ukraine, and end this war sooner rather than later. It is clear to me that after all these months, the earnest efforts by President Trump are not being equally met. I think Zelensky is ready to make concessions to end this war. Putin seems to be [doing] more talking and less acting.”  https://youtu.be/7QdErvIuatE?si=uQ3IQiEdRV2rPWwG&t=948

On the Graham-Blumenthal Russia sanctions bill reaching over 80 cosponsors:

• GRAHAM: “It is now time to increase the cost of this war to Putin. The sanctions package we have put together has [over] 80 cosponsors. Do you know how hard it is to get 80 Senators to agree on anything? Eighty of us – and the number is climbing – are ready to impose sanctions on Russia if Putin does not come to the table and earnestly seek peace.” https://youtu.be/7QdErvIuatE?si=kWOZu-UhJqd0ru3M&t=1009

• GRAHAM: “We’re going to act. How we act and when we act will be a political exercise among the body, talking to the White House and talking to our allies.” https://youtu.be/7QdErvIuatE?si=V0-X6tkjJE_8De10&t=1114

• GRAHAM: “Seldom do we have a chance to speak with one voice at such an important time. The entire world is watching the United States Senate.” https://youtu.be/7QdErvIuatE?si=V0-X6tkjJE_8De10&t=1154

• GRAHAM: “These sanctions are geared toward China. There are tariffs in these sanctions on any nation that buys Russian oil and gas from the shadow fleet. Putin’s war machine is propped up by China and India buying Russian oil at a massive discount...” https://youtu.be/7QdErvIuatE?si=QJy_NDKD5DdPFoUY&t=1036

Click here to watch Graham’s entire speech

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