At a Glance
- Sen. Lindsey Graham told a 2022 grand jury that Donald Trump lost the 2020 election and refused to accept it
- Graham called Trump’s fake-elector plan “weird” and said Trump would believe “Martians” stole votes
- Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and late House Speaker David Ralston also testified against Trump’s schemes
- Why it matters: The transcripts, obtained by The New York Times, reveal top Republicans privately rejected Trump’s fraud claims while many later stayed publicly silent
Sen. Lindsey Graham privately rejected Donald Trump’s 2020 election fraud narrative, bluntly telling a secret Georgia grand jury in 2022 that Trump lost and that any suggestion otherwise was baseless, according to transcripts obtained by The New York Times and published on January 13.
Graham’s Private Rebuke
Graham, 70, testified that he repeatedly informed Trump, 79, of the loss.
“I have told him more times than we can count that he fell short,” Graham said, adding that Trump would believe “Martians” stole ballots if told.
The senator attributed Trump’s Arizona defeat to the late Sen. John McCain’s lingering popularity after Trump mocked the war hero’s captivity.
> “The McCain effect in Arizona was real,” Graham testified. “When you look through the suburbs … Trump ran behind other Republicans.”
Graham dismissed the campaign’s fake-elector strategy as “just weird,” telling jurors: “I don’t know what to tell you, just weird.”
Unlike Trump, Graham accepted the outcome: “I’m sorry he lost. But he lost it.”
Other Republicans Push Back
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, 62, told the grand jury that Trump pressed him to convene a special legislative session and audit ballot signatures.
> “President Trump was very persistent … and I repeatedly told him … what the law was here,” Kemp testified.
Former Georgia House Speaker David Ralston, who died in 2022, labeled the fake-elector plan “the craziest thing I’ve heard.” Ralston recalled Trump requesting a special session to overturn results: “Right off the bat, I’ve got to tell him I disagree with him.”
Case Background
The testimony formed part of Fulton County District Attorney Fani T. Willis’s election-interference probe. Trump and 18 allies were indicted in 2023; the case was dismissed in November 2025. Graham was recommended for indictment but never charged.
In a statement to The Times, Graham called the investigation a “politically driven hit job,” adding: “I made it clear … that President Trump sincerely believed the election was stolen. We had our differences on this point.”
Trump Stands Firm
Trump continues to allege widespread fraud. In a January 7 interview, he told The Times he should have ordered the National Guard to seize voting machines in swing states and questioned whether troops were “sophisticated enough” for the task.
Key Takeaways
- Graham’s 2022 testimony contrasts with his recent public praise of Trump
- Transcripts show senior Republicans privately rejected fraud claims
- Georgia case dismissal leaves unanswered questions about election challenges
- Trump still promotes debunked fraud theories ahead of 2026 midterms
