Rep. Kat Cammack and other MAGA-aligned Republicans publicly criticized Sen. Lindsey Graham for pushing President Trump toward more aggressive action against Iran and urged that his Oval Office access be revoked. Critics, including Rep. Nancy Mace and Rep. Tim Burchett, have accused Graham of acting as a hawkish influencer on the president’s decision-making. Graham has long advocated strikes on Iran and urged a visible U.S. role, telling Politico he wanted America’s involvement to be unmistakable.
GOP Rift: Cammack Urges Stripping Lindsey Graham’s Oval Office Access Over Push for War With Iran
President Donald Trump previously endorsed Florida Rep. Kat Cammack. / REUTERS
A public split is emerging within the MAGA wing of the Republican Party over Sen. Lindsey Graham’s role in pushing President Donald Trump toward more aggressive action against Iran.
Florida Rep. Kat Cammack said on Capitol Hill that Graham should lose his Oval Office credentials after accusing the South Carolina senator of prodding the president toward war.
“Do you think that Lindsey Graham should continue to have such a prominent role in the execution of the war?” Migrant Insider’s Pablo Manríquez asked Cammack on Wednesday. “I absolutely think he should have his Oval Office credentials revoked,” she replied. Graham’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Cammack’s remarks add to a chorus of criticism from MAGA-aligned Republicans who have questioned Graham’s influence on Trump’s foreign-policy decisions. Later the same day, Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina described Graham as part of the “Washington war machine.” “I want President Trump to take Lindsey Graham out of the Situation Room,” Mace told CNN’s Laura Coates, adding that Graham “brags” about advising the president.
Graham is constantly in Trump's ear about Iran. / Anadolu / Anadolu via Getty Images
Tennessee Rep. Tim Burchett used even stronger language, calling Graham a “war pimp.” Those comments came amid escalating U.S.-Israel tensions with Iran following recent strikes in the region. Just days after the situation intensified, Graham urged the president to strike Hezbollah in Lebanon in coordination with the Israeli Defense Forces.
Graham, a longstanding hawk on Iran, has long advocated for tougher measures against Tehran. He has both privately encouraged Trump and used frequent cable appearances to press his case. After golfing with Trump following the 2024 election, Graham told Politico he had urged the president to make America’s involvement unmistakable.
“I told him before he took office … ‘If you can collapse this terrorist regime, that’s Berlin Wall stuff,’” Graham told Politico. “There was a real fight not to do it… ‘Mr. President, you want to have your fingerprints on this. You want them to know America will fight.’”
The episode highlights growing friction within the Republican coalition over foreign policy and over who should have influence in the Oval Office and Situation Room. Critics argue Graham’s hawkish posture risks drawing the United States deeper into conflict; supporters say a firm stance is needed to deter regional adversaries.
What’s next: The debate could shape access and informal influence over presidential decision-making and may signal wider divisions in the GOP about the direction of U.S. policy in the Middle East.
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