On the sidelines of the annual Munich Security Conference this past weekend, U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham engaged in a profanity-laden tirade while meeting with a Danish delegation, which included both Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen, according to a source who was in the room.
Graham’s outburst, first reported by Puck News, has also been confirmed to Scripps News by a U.S. senator who heard about the meeting from colleagues in the room. According to Puck, Graham was described as “combative” with the Danish delegation over President Trump’s prior insistence that the U.S. should "buy" Greenland from Denmark.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT | Russia issues arrest warrant for Sen. Lindsey Graham
A person in the bilateral meeting with the Danish delegation, granted anonymity to discuss private interactions, tells Scripps News that they believe the South Carolina Republican’s frustration was less with the Danes but rather with President Donald Trump. Graham, they said, is “clearly frustrated” that his push for the president to take military action against Iran and greenlight Senate action on punishing Russian sanctions has yet to come to fruition.
Reached for comment on Wednesday, a spokesperson for Graham called an assertion that the senator expressed frustration with President Trump “categorically false,” but declined to comment on Graham’s behavior during the meeting.
For nearly a year, Graham has championed a bipartisan Russian sanctions bill in the Senate. The legislation, however, has long appeared to be stalled, as President Trump has sought a diplomatic solution to end the ongoing war with Ukraine. Scripps News has learned the senator’s comments in Munich were not the first time he has expressed frustration to colleagues about Trump’s lack of action against Russia and Iran.
In a statement Saturday, Graham said Senate Majority Leader John Thune has now “committed” to putting the sanctions bill on the Senate floor for a vote “as soon as we have the votes.”
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT | 'Was a mistake': Sen. Lindsey Graham denounces Trump pardoning Jan. 6 rioters
Graham, the source tells Scripps News, told attendees at the Munich meeting that he believes it is time to “seal [Russian President Vladimir] Putin’s fate.” According to sources, Graham appeared to be extremely agitated and “probably had a drink” before the outburst.
Graham’s use of profanity in the private meeting comes after he said, “Who gives a shit who owns Greenland” in a televised panel hosted by POLITICO in Munich over the weekend.
