‘The Mothership Of Terrorism Is About To Go Down,’ Graham Declares, Calls Trump ‘Gold Standard’

Sen. Lindsey Graham delivered that blunt assessment Saturday morning as U.S. and Israeli forces carried out a sweeping joint operation targeting Iranian military infrastructure, framing the moment as a historic turning point for the Middle East.

“There’s a new dawn coming in the Mideast,” the South Carolina Republican said during an appearance on “Fox & Friends,” describing the strikes as one of “the most significant things that’s happened in my lifetime.” He added that it could be “the most significant thing that’s happened in the Mideast in a thousand years.”

Graham argued that dismantling Iran’s military capabilities could open the door to a broader regional realignment, building on the Abraham Accords brokered during President Donald Trump’s first term. He suggested that weakening Tehran’s influence may accelerate normalization efforts between Israel and additional Arab nations.

For years, Graham has described Iran as the chief destabilizing force in the region, citing its support for proxy groups such as Hezbollah and Hamas. On Saturday, he said directly targeting Iranian infrastructure — rather than focusing solely on its regional proxies — represents a decisive strategic shift.

He also elevated Trump’s foreign policy legacy above traditional Republican benchmarks.

“The gold standard for Republican foreign policy is no longer Ronald Reagan,” Graham said. “It is Donald J. Trump.”

The comments followed Trump’s description of the joint U.S.-Israel action as a “major combat operation” aimed at degrading the Iranian regime’s military capabilities and preventing missile threats against Israel. Supporters view the strikes as long overdue accountability for Tehran’s actions, while critics warn of potential escalation.

Graham made his position clear: if Iran’s military network is severely weakened and its regional reach curtailed, he believes the Middle East could be on the verge of a transformational shift.