Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) was mocked by his critics on Tuesday after his years of fealty to former President Donald Trump backfired this week.
Over the weekend, Trump vowed to pardon his supporters who attacked the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, in a failed attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 election.
Graham called that “inappropriate.”
And just like that, Trump turned on Graham, who has been one of his most subservient followers in the Senate.
“Lindsey Graham is wrong,” Trump said in an interview on Tuesday with right-wing media. “I mean, Lindsey is a nice guy, but he’s a RINO. Lindsey’s wrong.”
Trump insisted that his followers who attacked the Capitol “are not guilty” and said Graham “doesn’t know what the hell he is talking about.”
Trump: Some of these people are not guilty. Many of these people are not guilty. What they’ve done to these and in many cases they’re patriots. They’re soldiers, they’re policemen… Lindsey Graham doesn’t know what the hell he’s talking about if he said that pic.twitter.com/M2RpSSu90c
— Acyn (@Acyn) February 2, 2022
Twitter users chimed in with some observations:
Imagine how upsetting it must be for Lindsey Graham to hear this while barnacled to the inside of Trump’s rectum. https://t.co/x4NuEyxt7G
— The Hoarse Whisperer (@TheRealHoarse) February 2, 2022
Trump just called Lindsey Graham a RINO.
The GOP is imploding 🍿
— Jack Cocchiarella (@JDCocchiarella) February 2, 2022
No surprise here. Do not fall out of lockstep or you’re not worthy. Never trust a man who is only loyal to himself and only surrounds himself with yes men. Not 99% yes men. Only 1,000% yes men need apply. 🙄 https://t.co/LARiXzxxrn
— Laurie (@TherapyDogsRock) February 2, 2022
The sad part is that this will not draw a line between Trump & Lindsey Graham. It is meant to keep him in line. And it will.
— 🇺🇸🌊Rebecca🌊🇺🇸 (@ChewbeccaUSA) February 2, 2022
I mean, it’s not a revelation, but it is hilarious that for Trump, “Republican” just means “unreservedly supports me.” https://t.co/PTsBfJx6wQ
— James Surowiecki (@JamesSurowiecki) February 2, 2022
This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.