Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) engaged in a heated exchange with CNN host Dana Bash on Sunday, following discussions surrounding recent events and decisions on abortion access in the United States. The senator lost his temper after being corrected about late-term abortions, accusing Bash of covering for Democrats who support what he called "barbaric" practices.
The conversation began when Graham was asked about Donald Trump's position that access to abortion should be determined by individual states, considering the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. In response, Graham compared Democratic viewpoints to those found in North Korea and China.
However, it is important to note that many Democratic-led states still impose restrictions on abortions once pregnancies reach viability levels. Senator Graham may have been alluding to the Women's Health Protection Act introduced by Senate Democrats intending to remove constraints on abortion accessibility.
Bash pushed back against this misrepresentation during their discussion and reminded him that he has questioned Democrats regarding their stance on abortion rights before.
After clarifying Roe v. Wade allowed abortions up until viability points rather than indefinitely as implied by Sen., Lindsey grew frustrated and accused her of not holding Democrats accountable: "Senator, I'm not covering for anybody," replied an astonished Bash.
Graham also expressed concerns over the Food and Drug Administration's recent ruling related to mifepristone—an accessible form of medication used for early-stage pregnancy termination—questioning whether they had gone too far in approving its use.
The South Carolina senator argued he supports a 15-week ban but considers anything beyond that point barbaric—claiming only countries like China or North Korea would allow such procedures regularly.
This televised confrontation highlights ongoing tensions between political parties concerning reproductive rights across America since Friday’s Supreme Court ruling blocked additional regulations surrounding popular abortifacient mifepristone usage—a move perceived as both a victory and a challenge by various political factions.