Former MSNBC host Joy Reid has sharply criticized the media's response to the death of Senator Lindsey Graham, arguing that the South Carolina Republican "sold his soul" to former President Donald Trump.
In a statement shared on her podcast, "The Joy Reid Show," Reid expressed skepticism about the sincerity of media coverage mourning Graham's passing. "There is a thing that happens when people who are not good people, and who’ve done a lot of bad … the media reacts to them in a very specific sort of ‘f---ed up-ish’ kind of way, particularly when they’re conservatives," Reid said. She specifically called out what she perceived as an attempt by the "corporate media" to offer eulogies, stating, "I will not be bullied by the corporate media into doing fake encomiums. I cannot tell you how many anchors are on television saying ‘The world is mourning the death of Lindsey Graham, the unexpected’ — Nope!"
Reid characterized Graham's legacy as one of betrayal, particularly in his relationship with Donald Trump. "You’re going to be remembered as someone who betrayed your friends, who betrayed your country, and who claimed that you cared about relationships," Reid stated. "But in the end, the only relationship you actually cared about was the relationship with Donald Trump. You sold your soul. You betrayed your friends, your legacy, your own soul. You sold your soul to the devil, and now you get to meet him in person."
Reid also recalled Graham's initial opposition to Trump's 2016 presidential campaign, citing a past statement where Graham reportedly said, "If we nominate Trump, we will be destroyed, and we will deserve it." Reid contrasted this with Graham's subsequent support for Trump after his election, suggesting that Graham had "let the devils and the vampires in" and had destroyed his own legacy and party in the process.
Furthermore, Reid criticized Graham's role as an interrogator during Senate Judiciary Committee hearings, particularly his stance on nominees. "He was one of the most snide, mean, horrific interrogators of Black nominees," Reid asserted, referencing his opposition to Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson in 2022.
Senator Lindsey Graham's office announced his death on Sunday morning at the age of 71, following a brief illness. He had served as a U.S. Senator for South Carolina since 2003 and had recently won the Republican primary for his re-election bid. A statement from his office indicated the cause of death was a heart condition.