Funerals are supposed to be solemn, but this one gave the internet something else to talk about. During the service for Senator Lindsey Graham at Washington National Cathedral, a lip reading specialist claims to have picked up on a testy moment between President Trump and Vice President JD Vance, who sat beside each other for the entire ceremony.
Graham, the longtime South Carolina senator, died on July 11 at the age of 71. His funeral took place this past Tuesday, drawing a mix of political figures and mourners paying respects to a man who spent decades in Washington.
What the Lip Reader Claims Was Said
According to Jeremy Freeman, a professional lip reader who spoke with Reach, the moment happened while Pastor Tim Tate was giving his address. Freeman says Trump muttered something along the lines of questioning who had chosen this particular speaker, while Vance seemingly caught between the pastor's remarks and Trump's aside responded with "Amen" as the rest of the congregation did the same.
Freeman also claims Trump kept going, expressing disbelief and saying the speaker was putting him to sleep. What Vance said in response, if anything, wasn't clear enough to make out.
It's worth noting these are interpretations from lip reading, not confirmed audio, so they should be taken with that context in mind.
Health Questions Resurface
Adding to the day's talking points, Trump appeared to briefly close his eyes and nod off at one point during the service. This isn't the first time cameras have caught him seemingly dozing at a major public event, and the moment reignited the usual round of speculation about his stamina and health though nothing has been confirmed beyond what was visible on camera.
An Unlikely Friendship, Remembered Fondly
Despite the awkward moment lip readers picked up on, Trump's actual remarks from the podium struck a warmer, more personal tone. He and Graham hadn't always gotten along in fact, Graham was one of Trump's most vocal critics back during the 2016 Republican primary. But over time, the two became close, with Graham eventually becoming one of Trump's most trusted voices on foreign policy, especially when it came to Iran and Ukraine. He was also instrumental in pushing through Trump's Supreme Court picks, including during the contentious confirmation battle for Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
Standing at the podium, Trump acknowledged that Graham wasn't universally loved but insisted he was widely respected, calling him "a tough cookie." In a moment that got some laughs from the crowd, Trump veered off script to read Graham's personal cellphone number aloud, joking that anyone in attendance was welcome to give it a try.
He went on to explain that the two men's friendship actually started because Trump had flooded Graham's phone with calls early on and joked that Graham got the last laugh, since after that first day, Graham never really stopped calling him for the next decade.
Before leaving, Trump paused by Graham's casket and gave it a gentle tap a quiet, human moment amid an otherwise unconventional eulogy.
Family Members Draw Criticism
The funeral wasn't without controversy on the family front either. Melania Trump faced backlash from some observers who felt her conduct during the service was disrespectful, while Lara Trump's outfit choice also drew criticism as inappropriate for the occasion.
Trump and Zelenskyy Talk Ukraine
Separately, around the same time, Trump sat down with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to discuss the war with Russia. Following their meeting, Zelenskyy told Fox News that Trump had agreed to grant Ukraine licenses to manufacture Patriot missile systems domestically a defense system widely seen as critical for protecting cities like Kyiv from aerial attacks.
Zelenskyy said he followed up with representatives from major U.S. defense manufacturers and expressed hope that a co-production arrangement could move forward. As of now, U.S. officials haven't issued any formal confirmation of the agreement.
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