Lindsey Graham strikes back at John Kelly’s ‘fascist’ comment about Trump: ‘Desperate’

Sen. Lindsey Graham on Sunday said John Kelly’s “fascist” comment about former President Trump, under whom he served as White House chief of staff, was a sign of desperation for the Harris campaign with just over a week to go until Election Day.

Graham, R-S.C., appeared on ABC’s “This Week,” where he was asked about how Kelly insisted Trump met the “general definition of a fascist” and would govern like a dictator if allowed during an interview with The New York Times last week. 

“[Kelly’s] undermining a concept that’s been good for America,” Graham said. “I think our generals have sort of been apolitical. He’s entitled to his opinion. I just categorically reject it.”

“Three weeks before the election, you’re calling basically Trump Hitler, a fascist, is not going to resonate,” the senator continued. “What happened to joy on the Democratic side? They went from joy to now Trump is Hitler. Well, that’s desperation.”

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Graham urged Americans to look at Trump’s record, adding that Kelly’s criticisms were based on emotion rather than facts. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images, File)

Graham further struck back on Kelly’s “fascist” comment, asking Americans to look at Trump’s record as “a friend of Israel unlike any other” and how he helped put Israel “in the strongest position they’ve been in.” He also said there were no wars, the border was at its most secure and inflation was down, all on Trump’s watch.

Kelly, a retired four-star general, served as Trump’s White House chief of staff. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images, File)

“I think General Kelly’s criticisms are not based on facts,” the senator said. “I think it’s emotional, it’s sad, and it’s not going to matter.”

Graham was also asked about criticisms that retired four-star Gens. Mark Milley and Jim Mattis, who both served in the Trump administration, also made about the former president.

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“That shows you how desperate this campaign is, you’ve got three retired generals who have been out of the game for a while, three weeks before the election and trying to replace joy with fear,” Graham said.

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Graham also noted that he does not think Harris is a fascist or communist either when commenting about the war of words between Trump and Harris.

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“Do I think Kamala Harris is a fascist? No. [Do] I think she’s a communist? No. I think she’s the most liberal person ever to be nominated by a major party. I think she’s ineffective. I think she’s incompetent,” Graham said.