Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) drew mockery on social media after making what critics described as a Freudian slip about President Donald Trump.
Appearing on Fox News, Graham was defending the ongoing U.S.-Israeli military operations against Iran, which began Saturday and have resulted in the death of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and the loss of six U.S. troops.
“To my European friends, you have lost your way,” said Graham.
The staunch Trump ally urged them to “embrace the protesters” opposing the Iranian regime because “they represent the best of humanity.”
Graham then posed a rhetorical question:
“If you polled Europe, who is worse for the world? Trump, Bibi [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu] or the ayatollah? The ayatollah would finish third.”
Critics quickly seized on his phrasing and for inadvertently suggesting, in their view, that the ayatollah might be seen as better for the world than Trump.
