Lindsey Graham revealed he blocked a resolution officially recognising Turkey’s genocide of the Armenian people following a request from the White House, because Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was visiting at the time of the vote.

The South Carolina Republican said he was asked by senior White House staff earlier this month to block the resolution after a meeting he attended in the Oval Office that was hosted by Donald Trump and included the Turkish president.

Mr Graham was one of five Republican senators present at the White House meeting who had publicly denounced Turkey’s recent invasion of northeastern Syria after Mr Trump announced his decision to pull US troops out of the region.

The senator castigated Mr Erdogan as Mr Trump “sat back and watched,” Axios reported, decrying the Syrian invasion and rejecting Mr Erdogan’s claims that Kurdish forces in the region — who are allied with the US — are part of a terrorist group.

Still, Mr Graham went on later that day to vote against the measure that surely would have upset the Turkish president, telling the news outlet he was asked by a White House legislative affairs official to “please object” to the resolution.

Turkey launches offensive into Syria Show all 25 1 /25 Turkey launches offensive into Syria Turkey launches offensive into Syria Turkish soldiers with armored vehicles EPA Turkey launches offensive into Syria A woman flees with her children during Turkish bombardment on Syria's northeastern town of Ras al-Ain AFP/Getty Turkey launches offensive into Syria Smoke billows following Turkish bombardment on Syria's northeastern town of Ras al-Ain in the Hasakeh province along the Turkish border on October 9, 2019. - Turkey launched an assault on Kurdish forces in northern Syria with air strikes and explosions reported along the border. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced the start of the attack on Twitter, labelling it "Operation Peace Spring". (Photo by Delil SOULEIMAN / AFP) (Photo by DELIL SOULEIMAN/AFP via Getty Images) DELIL SOULEIMAN AFP/Getty Turkey launches offensive into Syria The first group of Turkish infantry prepare to enter Syria on the border Getty Turkey launches offensive into Syria Civilians flee AFP/Getty Turkey launches offensive into Syria Smoke billows from targets inside Syria AP Turkey launches offensive into Syria Turkish armoured vehicles enter Syria in Akcakale Getty Turkey launches offensive into Syria Civilians leave as smoke rises from Ras al-Ain AFP Turkey launches offensive into Syria A multi-rocket launcher fires in an unknown location Turkish Defence Ministry via Reuters Turkey launches offensive into Syria People wave as Turkish soldiers prepare to cross the border Getty Turkey launches offensive into Syria Girls stand together in Ras al Ain town Reuters Turkey launches offensive into Syria A woman walks as smoke billows following Turkish bombardment in Syria's northeastern town of Ras al-Ain AFP/Getty Turkey launches offensive into Syria A Turkish army's tank drives down from a truck towards the border with Syria AFP/Getty Turkey launches offensive into Syria Turkish jet taxis on tarmac after returning to a military base in southeast Diyarbakir Reuters Turkey launches offensive into Syria A Turkish armored vehicle drives down a road during a military operation in Kurdish areas of northern Syria EPA Turkey launches offensive into Syria People sit on belongings at a back of a truck as they flee Ras al Ain town Reuters Turkey launches offensive into Syria Turkey-backed Syrian opposition fighters enter Tel Abyad AFP/Getty Turkey launches offensive into Syria Civilians flee AFP/Getty Turkey launches offensive into Syria People flee Tal Abyad North Press Agency/Reuters TV Turkey launches offensive into Syria People wave as Turkish soldiers prepare to cross the border into Syria Getty Turkey launches offensive into Syria Civilians flee with their belongings AFP/Getty Turkey launches offensive into Syria Civilians flee during Turkish bombardment on Syria's northeastern town of Ras al-Ain in the Hasakeh province along the Turkish border on October 9, 2019. - Turkey launched a broad assault on Kurdish-controlled areas in northeastern Syria today, with intensive bombardment paving the way for an invasion made possible by the withdrawal of US troops. (Photo by Delil SOULEIMAN / AFP) (Photo by DELIL SOULEIMAN/AFP via Getty Images) DELIL SOULEIMAN AFP/Getty Turkey launches offensive into Syria Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, right, speaks with Defense Minister Hulusi Akar, left, as they watch the operation by Turkish forces in Kurdish areas EPA Turkey launches offensive into Syria Smoke rises from the Syrian town of Tal Abyad AFP/Getty Turkey launches offensive into Syria Turkey-backed members of Syrian National Army prepare for moving to Turkey with heavy armed vehicles EPA

“After the meeting, we kind of huddled up and talked about what happened," he said. “The only reason I did it is because he [Erdogan] was still in town. ... That would've been poor timing. I'm trying to salvage the relationship if possible."

The Kurds served as America’s most important ally in battling back against the spread of the Islamic State in northeastern Syria.

Mr Graham told the news outlet he “forcefully” rejected the Turkish president’s claims surrounding the Syrian Democratic Forces, saying: “I let Turkey know that 10,000 SDF fighters, mostly Kurds, suffered, died or (were) injured, in the fight against Isis, and America will not forget that and will not abandon them."

He added that was “not going to object the next time” the resolution is put up for a vote, and that he ultimately decided to block the resolution because “with the president of Turkey in town that was probably more than the market would bear”.

However, the resolution was still blocked last week when it went up for another vote.

South Carolina Republican senator Lindsey Graham, left, with Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan, centre, and US president Donald Trump, right, in the Oval Office on 13 November, 2019 (AFP via Getty Images)

That’s because David Perdue, a Georgia Republican and ally of Mr Trump in the Senate, was “asked” by the White House to block the measure, according to Axios.