Sen. Lindsey Graham Lindsey Olin GrahamMomentum growing among Republicans for Supreme Court vote before Election Day Video of Lindsey Graham arguing against nominating a Supreme Court justice in an election year goes viral Warning signs flash for Lindsey Graham in South Carolina MORE (R-S.C.) is urging Republicans to rethink their support for Donald Trump Donald John TrumpUS reimposes UN sanctions on Iran amid increasing tensions Jeff Flake: Republicans 'should hold the same position' on SCOTUS vacancy as 2016 Trump supporters chant 'Fill that seat' at North Carolina rally MORE following his attacks on a federal judge of Mexican heritage.

“This is the most un-American thing from a politician since Joe McCarthy,” Graham told The New York Times for an article published late Monday.

ADVERTISEMENT

“If anybody was looking for an off-ramp, this is probably it,” Graham said. “There’ll come a time when the love of country will trump hatred of [Democratic presidential front-runner] Hillary [Clinton].”

Republican leaders have widely denounced comments from Trump going after the heritage of Judge Gonzalo Curiel, who was born in Indiana to Mexican immigrants.

Trump, the presumptive GOP presidential nominee, has argued the judge who is overseeing lawsuits over Trump University has a conflict of interest because Trump has vowed to build a border wall to stop illegal immigration from Mexico.

Trump has doubled down on those comments and also expressed doubt that a Muslim judge could remain neutral in a case involving him. Trump has also proposed a temporary ban on allowing Muslims to enter the U.S.

Graham indicated last month that he won't vote for Trump or Clinton. Jeb Bush, another former GOP presidential rival to Trump, also joined him in that position.

Trump on Monday reportedly rebuffed calls from allies to move beyond the attacks, while insisting during a television appearance late Monday, "I don't care about Mexican or not Mexican."

"All I want him to do is give me a fair shake," he said on Fox News.

Graham's comments also come as Clinton was declared the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee on Monday night by The Associated Press. The AP reported that the former secretary of State had secured pledges from the necessary 2,383 delegates to clinch her party's nomination.