Welcome to Tuesday’s edition of Washington Secrets. It’s a day dominated by the late Lindsey Graham, with a ceremony at the Capitol Rotunda in the morning, followed by a funeral service at Washington National Cathedral. Three world leaders will attend: President Donald Trump, President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel.When Volodomyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, and Benjamin Netanyahu, prime minister of Israel, attend Lindsey Graham’s funeral this afternoon, they will have more on their minds than paying respects to the late senator.They need a new advocate. Ideally, it will be a senator with decades of experience traveling to the world’s most dangerous neighborhoods, a Rolodex crammed with past, present, and future world leaders’ numbers, and a golf handicap of about 12.
And they will probably need to be on the road almost every other weekend.When Zelensky paid tribute to Graham, for example, he explained the senator had been to Ukraine 10 times during the four-and-a-half years since Russia launched its full-scale invasion.“We remained in constant dialogue, and I will miss our conversations,” he said. “We met twice in just the past week.”Graham’s relationship with Netanyahu was longer and deeper. And as Secrets revealed at the time, Graham used a round of golf with Trump in February to persuade him of the political benefits of launching strikes on Iran.So who could fill this role? Secrets canvassed sources on the Hill and elsewhere to come up with this shortlist:Sen. Katie Britt (R-AL): At 44, she represents the next generation and could be the best fit, even though she lacks Graham’s long experience. A Secrets source said she had been mentored by Graham, who often made sure she had a seat in his meetings with high-level officials and leaders. Plus, she already has a role as something of a bridge between Congress and the White House when it comes to legislation. Notably, she has now taken on a role pushing a Russia sanctions bill that was championed by Graham.Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS): Another name in the frame, Wicker combines both Senate standing with explicit support for Ukraine and Israel. As Armed Services Committee chairman, he has significant influence over military aid and defense policy, making him a key player for both countries. And his hawkish instincts on Iran in particular put him in close ideological alignment with Trump. But like others, he simply lacks the deep relationships with Zelensky and Netanyahu.Laura Loomer: The wild card in the audition. The right-wing influencer and citizen journalist certainly has the ear of Trump, and has wielded considerable power by persuading him to fire staffers whose loyalty she doubted. Loomer is currently in Ukraine, where she has undergone a U-turn on supporting Zelensky’s government, as first documented by Secrets. “Maybe that person has to be me,” she told Playbook when asked who might be the best new envoy.Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR): Again, this is a figure who comes with the authority of the Senate, but he probably lacks the independence of someone like Graham. In the plus column is the fact that, as Senate Intelligence Committee chair, he advanced Section 622 legislation in May to expand and enhance intelligence sharing with Israel. But on the Hill, he is seen as someone who will fall into line behind the president rather than nudge him in new directions.Other positions held by Graham will be filled. His sister has Trump’s endorsement to run for his Senate seat. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) is expected to take over the Budget Committee that Graham had chaired.But the general consensus is that no one will be able to replicate his role as golf course foreign policy “Trump whisperer.” None of these people is flying to warzones with the cadence of a secretary of state, as one insider put it.With Zelensky and Netanyahu both meeting Trump ahead of this afternoon’s funeral service, both leaders will have to take on more of their own messaging. At least for now.Biden watch
