Lindsey Graham warns Republicans who ‘try to destroy’ Trump will lose

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said Sunday that Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy’s primary defeat shows there is “no room” in the Republican Party for lawmakers who seek to undermine President Donald Trump or obstruct his agenda.

Appearing on “Meet the Press,” Graham argued that Cassidy’s loss in Louisiana was a direct result of the senator’s votes to convict Trump in his second impeachment trial in 2021 and said Republicans who seek to “destroy” Trump politically will face consequences from GOP voters.

“There is no room in this party to destroy his agenda or to destroy him and his family as a Republican,” Graham said. “If you align with Democrats to stop his agenda, like Massie did, you lose. If you align with Democrats to remove him from office, like Cassidy did, you lose.”

Graham also warned that Rep. Thomas Massie could face similar political consequences for his repeated opposition to legislation and policy priorities that Trump supports.

WITH CASSIDY’S OPENING IN LOUISIANA, TRUMP WON A MAJOR REPUBLICAN PRIMARY VICTORY

“Those who try to destroy Trump politically, those who stand in the way of his agenda, will lose,” Graham said. “This is the party of Donald Trump.”

The South Carolina Republican made the comments after NBC host Kristen Welker asked whether Cassidy’s defeat sent a message that there was little room left in the GOP for members willing to openly break with Trump.

“You may disagree with President Trump, but if you try to destroy him, you will lose because this is the party of Donald Trump,” Graham said.

Sen. Lindsey Graham says Sen. Bill Cassidy lost his primary because Republican voters remained firmly committed to President Donald Trump and his agenda. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

AFTER THE PURGE IN INDIANA, TRUMP OPENED LOUISIANA’S BILL CASSIDY

Cassidy, who has represented Louisiana in the Senate since 2015, was one of seven Republican senators who voted to convict Trump following the Jan. 6 Capitol protests. Trump was ultimately acquitted because the Senate vote failed to pass the required two-thirds threshold.

At the time, Cassidy defended her vote, arguing that Trump’s actions regarding January 6 were unconstitutional and dangerous. The impeachment vote sparked a backlash from Louisiana Republicans, including condemnation from the state’s Republican Party.

Graham acknowledged that he liked Cassidy personally and praised her work in the Senate, but said the impeachment vote carried political ramifications that would be difficult to overcome in the Republican primary.

The South Carolina senator said Cassidy’s impeachment vote against Trump has become a defining issue in Louisiana politics and warned other Republicans not to oppose the president’s agenda. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc. via Getty Images)

WHO IS JOHN FLEMING, THE FREEDOM BOARD FOUNDING MEMBER WHO CHALLENGED GOP SEN BILL CASSIDY?

“I love Bill. I thought he was a great senator, but he made a political decision,” Graham said. “He voted to impeach President Trump, which would have destroyed his political life. He can never run again.”

Graham also noted that Trump’s influence on the Republican Party has been politically beneficial, including to his own re-election efforts.

“I think President Trump has done a very good job,” Graham said. “If you try to destroy it, you will be destroyed. That is the conclusion.”

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“Thank you, President Trump, for supporting me. It helped me in my primaries. It’s just a fact, and a good fact.”

Fox News Digital reached out to Sen. Bill Cassidy for comment but did not immediately hear back.

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