Overview
- TMZ photographed the South Carolina senator at Chef Mickey’s in Orlando on Sunday, and the post drew quick backlash online.
- He was seen during a shutdown that has left federal workers without paychecks and caused long airport lines as TSA staffing strains.
- Graham told TMZ he first met in South Florida on Friday with Trump envoy Steve Witkoff about possible Saudi–Israel normalization, then visited friends in Orlando and returned to South Carolina.
- He defended his record by saying he voted seven times to fund the government and told critics to “call a Democrat,” a claim TMZ framed as a failure by both parties.
- Coverage noted he backed a Homeland Security and TSA funding bill that House Republican leaders rejected, while separate reports said the House later passed a different short-term plan on Friday.