Sen. Lindsey Graham. | Alex Wong/Getty Images congress Lindsey Graham to Trump: 'The Iranians are your target audience, not me'

Sen. Lindsey Graham has become one of President Donald Trump’s closest allies since trashing his candidacy in 2016. But he’s sticking with his criticism of Trump’s approach on Iran.

After Trump chastised him this week on Twitter and in comments to reporters for advocating a hardline approach and military strikes on Iran in retribution for an attack on Saudi Arabia, Graham (R-S.C.) stood firm on his opinion that the president and his administration is being too soft on Iran. And he thought little of the new sanctions Trump announced on Wednesday.


“Sanctions so far haven’t worked and I doubt they ever will. So I think an appropriate military response is in order," Graham told a pair of reporters on Wednesday afternoon. The “measured response to the drone attack, I appreciated that, I was hoping that would give everybody a chance to reset. So clearly the Iranians have taken that to be a sign of weakness.”

Asked about Trump’s tweet rebuking him, Graham replied: “All I can say is it’s not working. The Iranians are your target audience, not me. And the Iranians decision to attack the Saudi oil field is an act of war by any definition.”

Trump has shrugged off suggestions by Graham and Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) to strike Iran in retaliation for its incursions in the Middle East and even sacked his hawkish national security adviser, John Bolton. And the beef between Graham and Trump lingered into Wednesday afternoon, with Trump saying his reluctance to strike back after Iran allegedly bombed Saudi Arabia’s oil production facilities is a “great sign of strength.”

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“It's very easy to attack, but if you ask Lindsey, ask him how did going into the Middle East, how did that work out? And how did going into Iraq work out? So we have a disagreement on that. And you know there's plenty of time to do some dastardly things,” Trump told reporters on Wednesday.

The episode marks a rare schism between Graham, who famously did all he could to stop Trump’s rise during the 2016 primary and then shifted gears to become a golfing buddy and close adviser to the president. The two have worked closely over the past two years, though Graham has occasionally advocated a more muscular military approach than Trump is comfortable with.

Graham said on this issue the president knows where he stands, and warned that stalling any further could open up the Middle East to more attacks.

“They’re clearly not going to stop until they pay a heavier price,” Graham said. “The Iranians decision to attack the Saudi oil field is an act of war by any definition. Pompeo said so. I’m glad he did.”