Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) on Sunday lashed out at Speaker Kevin McCarthy's (R-CA) deal to raise the debt ceiling because it effectively cuts military spending.
During an interview on
Fox News Sunday, Graham told host Shannon Bream that he was unhappy with parts of the debt ceiling bill.
"You know, number one, I respect Kevin McCarthy," Graham said. "I want to raise the debt ceiling; it'd be irresponsible not to do it."
"And I know you can't get the perfect, but what I will not do is adopt the Biden defense budget and call it a success," he continued. "Kevin said that the defense is fully funded. If we adopt the Biden defense budget, it increases defense spending below inflation. 3.2% increase in defense is below inflation."
Graham accused supporters of the bill of "doing a great disservice to the party of Ronald Reagan."
"I like Kevin a lot, but don't tell me that the Biden defense budget fully funds the military," Graham snapped. "So I look forward to the details, but if you send me the Biden defense budget to the United States Senate and declare it to the people of the United States, you will have a hard time with me."
Graham suggested he would not vote for a bill unless funding for defense spending were increased.
"If you ask me now to swallow it because of the debt ceiling, you can forget it," he remarked. "In 2011, my good friend Mitch McConnell negotiated to deal with Joe Biden that virtually destroyed the Defense Department in the name of raising the debt ceiling. Another round of sequestration, not only will I vote no, I will not be intimidated by June 5th."
