Trump's Jabs At 'War Hawk' Graham, Netanyahu Over Pickaxe Mountain Reports

In separate remarks Tuesday, at the memoraila service, for Senator Lindsey Graham at the Washington National Cathedral, and during a Fox News interview, President Donald Trump addressed foreign policy, the ongoing conflict with Iran, and his personal and political relationships with both the late senator and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who was also present at the ceremony along with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other top U.S. officials.

Trump affectionately characterized Graham as a man who "liked war" and was "extremely hawkish," saying during the Fox News interview and his eulogy that the senator "never saw a war he didn't like." While the president acknowledged Graham's recent shift toward support for negotiating a deal with Iran, he maintained that the late senator's primary instinct was military action, particularly regarding the conflicts in Iran and Ukraine.

The U.S. president described Graham as a "force of nature" and a "great politician" whose friendship evolved from their 2016 rivalry during the presidential election campaigns. He remembered Graham as a "true American original," a "beloved friend," and a "giant of the United States Senate" who died at age 71.

In the Fox News interview hours before hosting Netanyahu at the White House, Trump aired frustration regarding discussions over Iran.

Trump dismissed reports originating from Israeli sources regarding Iran’s heavily fortified subterranean nuclear facility at Pickaxe Mountain, located near the Natanz complex.

Asked about the reports, Trump said, "I don't need Bibi to tell me [that]... Bibi is telling me that because he wants me to stay involved. We know exactly what's going on." He continued, "I heard Bibi announce that. I said, 'Why didn't you just tell it to me? Why did you have to announce it to the world?' I know exactly what's going on at Pickaxe. It's not a big problem."

Trump also added that while the site remains an issue, "If we don't make a deal, we'll take it out very easily."

The public friction between the two leaders came during a pause in U.S. aerial bombardment against Iranian installations to explore diplomatic options. Netanyahu sought to ensure the U.S. maintained military pressure on the Iran's deeply buried nuclear infrastructure.

Graham's funeral served as an impromptu summit in Washington D.C., bringing together world leaders including Netanyahu and Zelenskyy, both of whom held separate closed-door meetings with Trump at the White House.