U.S.–Israel Relations

Sen. Lindsey Graham announced on X that he is traveling to Israel again to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his team, calling this a 'crucial time in the history of the Middle East' and praising what he terms the Trump–Netanyahu alliance. In his post, Graham said the goal of the visit is to 'build on the historic opportunities created by President Trump’s unprecedented leadership' and to 'stand up to evil' while supporting 'people who are sacrificing for freedom.' The South Carolina Republican has simultaneously been using social media and video clips to advocate a major U.S. operation against Iran, saying he is 'in the camp of bigger' when it comes to potential strikes and calling for stopping those killing protesters 'by any means necessary ASAP.' His rhetoric comes as the Trump administration rolls out new sanctions on Iranian officials and weighs further action, putting one of the Senate’s leading GOP hawks visibly in Israel’s corner at the same time he pushes for a harder line on Tehran. The trip underscores how close coordination between pro-Israel Republicans and the Netanyahu government could shape the next steps in U.S. policy toward Iran and the wider region.