President Donald Trump delivered an emotional eulogy for the late Sen. Lindsey Graham at the Washington National Cathedral on Tuesday, recounting how their relationship transformed from bitter 2016 rivals into a decade-long friendship. Trump traced the turning point to a 2015 campaign rally in Bluffton, S.C., where he publicly shared Graham's personal cellphone number — (202) 228-0292 — before a crowd of millions. "His phone exploded," Trump recalled, drawing laughter. "That was the beginning of a friendship, in a way."

The unlikely bond deepened through frequent golf outings and late-night calls, with Graham becoming a leading advocate for Trump's legislative agenda. "Lindsey did not stop calling me for the next 10 years," Trump said, calling him a "beloved friend, a devoted brother, a respected statesman, a giant of the United States Senate, and a true American original."

World leaders Benjamin Netanyahu and Volodymyr Zelenskyy, both close Graham allies, attended the service alongside much of the Senate, including John Fetterman. Trump reflected that for over 30 years, "nothing of consequence happened in this Capitol without Lindsey Graham knowing about it."