President Donald Trump described the sudden death of Sen. Lindsey Graham as a major setback for one of his top legislative priorities, the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act, during an appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press” Sunday morning.
Trump said that he spoke with Graham just hours before the senator’s death late Saturday night and called the loss “a big blow to the SAVE America Act, let me tell you.”
Trump told host Kristen Welker that Graham had just returned from a trip to Ukraine when he called the president Saturday evening.
“I got a call last night, sometime in the early evening. He said we’re all set for the SAVE America Act,” Trump recounted. “He was pushing the SAVE America Act like crazy. He got back and said he just landed from Ukraine. I said, ‘That’s a long trip to make.’ He sounded a little tired but perfect, but a little bit tired, and had a right to be. He was a worker, he was really a worker. But he sounded great, actually, but he actually said he was tired. But he wanted to pass the SAVE America Act, and I said, ‘We’re going to get it done, Lindsey, we’re going to get it done, I’ll see you, like soon. We might even meet today.’”
The president noted that Graham had been confident the White House would secure passage of the SAVE America Act in the Senate.
Trump added that it could have been the senator’s final call, saying, “What makes it even stranger is that I got a call last night… He was really becoming strong on the SAVE America Act. I think he was gonna be there very strongly on the filibuster. He was a strong advocate for SAVE America. That’s what he called me about last night.”
When asked by Welker what his last words to Graham were, the president said, “I would ‘see you soon.’ ‘Come over anytime you want.’ He came into the White House a lot because I liked him. Can’t do that with everybody.”
WATCH:
Trump on Meet the Press says Lindsey Graham called him last evening after he got back from Ukraine and said “we’re all set for the SAVE America Act.”
“He sounded a little tired,” Trump added. “It could have been his last call.” pic.twitter.com/hqFQuHZ9Fp
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 12, 2026
Trump said he could not believe it when a member of Graham’s office called early Sunday morning to notify him of the death.
Graham, 71, died suddenly on Saturday night. He had been scheduled to appear on “Meet the Press” Sunday morning for what would have been his 64th appearance on the program but passed away before the show.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who also appeared on the show to discuss Graham’s life and legacy, said he was in a “state of shock” and described Graham as “one of the great champions of the American-Israeli alliance.”
The SAVE America Act aims to strengthen voter eligibility requirements and has been a focal point of Trump’s efforts to secure election integrity.
The post WATCH: Trump Says Lindsey Graham’s Sudden Death is a ‘Big Blow to the SAVE America Act,’ Details Their Final Conversation on Meet the Press appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.