Donald Trump called CNN during a tribute to late Senator Lindsey Graham, urging the network to adopt what he described as a normal editorial path.
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump made an unusual appearance on CNN on July 12, 2026, calling into State of the Union to pay tribute to the late Sen. Lindsey Graham before ending the brief conversation with an unexpected comment about the network’s direction.
The exchange came during a particularly significant period for both Washington and the media industry. Graham, a Republican senator from South Carolina and longtime Trump ally, had died suddenly at age 71 after returning from a trip to Ukraine. Trump described Graham as a close friend and spoke at length about their relationship and the senator’s political career.