MSNBC anchor Stephanie Ruhle speculated without offering evidence Tuesday that President Trump
Donald John TrumpBooker backpedals after comparing Warren's Facebook proposal to Trump Booker: 'Thoughts and prayers' after gun violence are 'bullshit' Mike Pence tells Liberty University graduates to prepare to be 'shunned,' 'ridiculed' for being a Christian MORE has "something pretty extreme" on Sen. Lindsey Graham
Lindsey Olin GrahamTrump's 'four corners' offense an effective strategy for 2020 Trump Jr. subpoena spotlights GOP split over Russia probes GOP lawmaker: Mueller should 'come to Congress' MORE (R-S.C.).
Ruhle made the remark on MSNBC's "Velshi & Ruhle" on Tuesday morning while interviewing former GOP congressman David Jolly (I-Fla.), who left the Republican Party in 2018.
"Before Don got elected, Lindsey Graham called Donald Trump a racist, xenophobic bigot. Those are Lindsey Graham's words," Jolly said.
"I doubt Lindsey Graham could tell you Donald Trump has had a change of heart in the last 24 months, I bet the change of heart has been with Lindsey Graham, not the president," he said.
"Or it could be that Donald Trump or somebody knows something pretty extreme about Lindsey Graham," Ruhle said, without expounding before the commercial break.
Some media members took to Twitter to blast Ruhle for being "completely irresponsible" for making such a suggestion during a nationally televised newscast.
MSNBC did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Hill on Tuesday.
Here’s @SRuhle suggesting that President Trump or “somebody knows something pretty extreme about Lindsey Graham” when discussing his turn from Trump critic to Trump supporter.
— Jay Caruso (@JayCaruso) January 15, 2019
That is a completely irresponsible thing to even suggest. pic.twitter.com/ryyaXqf3yK
Graham has been one of Trump's more vocal defenders since he took office, particularly during the confirmation process for Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh
Brett Michael KavanaughMichael Bennet a welcome addition to the 2020 Democratic field Suspense builds for Supreme Court moves on abortion, LGBT cases Trump officials target authority of judges to issue national injunctions MORE in the fall.
But the former 2016 presidential rival has also recently criticized the president on big issues, including over Trump's abrupt declaration last month about a U.S. withdrawal from Syria.
Graham vehemently opposed the move, calling it a "disaster" and a "stain on the honor of the United States." He maintained that despite Trump's initial declaration, the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria had not been defeated in Syria.
"To say they're defeated is an overstatement and is fake news," Graham said on the Senate floor Dec. 19. "It is not true. They have been severely damaged but they will come back unless we're there to stop them."
Officials have since delayed the timeline for a withdrawal amid concerns from the military and U.S. allies. Senators leaving a briefing last week said they still had questions about the administration's strategy in Syria.
