President Trump should reopen the federal government for three weeks before declaring a national emergency, according to Sen. Lindsey Graham.

"Before he pulls the plug on the legislative option, and I think we're almost there, I would urge him to open up the government for a short period of time, like three weeks, before he pulls the plug, see if we can get a deal," the South Carolina Republican said during an interview with "Fox News Sunday." "If we can't at the end of three weeks, all bets are off, see if you can do it by himself through the emergency powers, that's my recommendation."

But Graham, who has taken a high-profile role in discussions regarding the partial government shutdown given his close relationship with Trump and his interest in comprehensive immigration reform, warned that a legislative resolution to the funding impasse "is just about shut off." He repeatedly referred to the mock offer from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., of $1 for the president's proposed southern border wall.

[New: Trump rejects temporary end to shutdown]

Graham, the new Senate Judiciary Committee chairman, on Sunday also downplayed past criticism of former President Barack Obama's use of executive power. He said he had spoken to Trump earlier Sunday morning and the president told him he considered the emergency route to be his last option.

"A lot of presidents have declared emergencies," Graham said. "I think there is a crisis at the border, I think it fits the definition of a national emergency. It's the last option, not the first option, but we're pretty close to that being the only option."

The partial government shutdown began on Dec. 22 due to a breakdown in negotiations between lawmakers on Capitol Hill over Trump's campaign promise to build a physical barrier along the U.S.-Mexico border. The president has been threatening to invoke powers under the National Emergencies Act of 1976 to reallocate defense spending for the project because congressional Democrats refuse to meet his demand for roughly $5.6 billion in border wall funding.