President Trump and Sen. Lindsey Graham have overcome hostility born of deep mistrust and ideological antagonism to form one of Washington's more unlikely political odd couples.
Trump, a populist dripping with contempt for the D.C. establishment, broke the ice following the inauguration, months before he and the South Carolina Republican – who is a fixture of that establishment – consummated a working relationship with friendly rounds of golf.
The president reached out to Graham, a 2016 campaign rival he had mocked mercilessly, in a series of his trademark telephone calls that can arrive unexpectedly, at all hours of the day or night. The senator accepted them, despite grave reservations about Trump's capacity for the presidency and sharp policy differences.
Graham had done his part to encourage the détente in conversations with senior White House advisers, and an alliance developed around a shared love of deal-making and being the center of attention — and the senator's ability to understand what makes Trump tick.
"We've played golf twice; I thoroughly enjoyed it. Once you get to know somebody on the golf course, it's a totally different experience," Graham said Tuesday in an interview with the Washington Examiner. "The bottom line is: He feels comfortable talking to me, and I want to keep this relationship."
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01.21.2025