Graham to Trump: Consider removing 'US bases from countries who won't let us fly from them' [View all]

Source: The Hill

03/21/26 8:12 AM ET


Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) on Friday urged President Trump to consider removing U.S. military bases from countries “who won’t let us fly from them,” again lashing out at European allies over their refusal to assist the U.S.-Israeli military operation in Iran.

Graham reupped the suggestion after Trump told reporters earlier on Friday that the senator was “right about asking that.” “Mr. President, one of the things I like about you most is that, now, our allies take America for granted at their own peril,” the South Carolina Republican wrote in a post on social platform X.

“As to my suggestion, I meant it then and I’ll repeat it now: We should consider removing U.S. bases from countries who won’t let us fly from them as we confront the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism who has been hellbent on developing a nuclear weapon and was extremely close to achieving that goal,” the senator added.

Trump and Graham have slammed NATO allies in recent days for their reluctance to support U.S. military operations to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a vital chokepoint that has been effectively closed to shipping traffic since the start of the conflict on Feb. 28.

Read more: https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/5794447-graham-trump-iran-us-bases-middle-east/