(CNN) Sen. Lindsey Graham, a critic-turned-ally of President Donald Trump's, unloaded Friday on The New York Times anonymous op-ed describing a resistance within the Trump administration, calling it "unnerving" and claiming that it was part of an effort to change the subject away from the Russia probe.

"I think what's happening here is a new line of attack," the South Carolina Republican said of the motives of the op-ed. "That's the best evidence yet that there's no collusion. This to me is a signal that there's nothing there with Russia in terms of the President."

Graham claimed that the op-ed was part of a secretive effort to shift the focus away from the Russia probe since, he said, there was no apparent evidence that the Trump campaign colluded with Russia. And he believed that it was part of a "new narrative" to claim the President is "crazy."

Graham himself called then-candidate Trump "crazy" and "a kook" when the two were campaign trail rivals in February 2016.

Graham offered no evidence to support his new theory. But his remarks signal the latest effort by Republicans to turn the page away from the damaging op-ed and focus on matters that unite their party.

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