Hegseth Renames Base for Graham, Pushes $1.5 Trillion Budget

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth used a ceremony on Monday to rename a South Carolina military installation for the late Senator Lindsey Graham, while also using the event to advocate for a historic increase in the Pentagon's budget. The event, held at the newly designated Joint Base Lindsey Graham, drew criticism after Hegseth attempted an impression of the deceased senator.

The ceremony took place on August 10, 2026, at the base formerly known as Joint Base Charleston. Graham, a Republican who represented South Carolina for over three decades, died on July 11 at age 71 from an aortic tear. He was a longtime advocate for a strong military and served more than 30 years in the Air Force and Air Force Reserve, retiring as a colonel in 2015.

During his remarks, Hegseth announced that the Department of War is seeking a $1.5 trillion military budget for 2027, a nearly 50 percent increase from the current year's funding. He framed the request as a tribute to Graham's legacy. "Lindsey himself said to me in his office, 'This is the best military budget I've seen since I've been in Congress,'" Hegseth told the crowd. He added that there could be no greater tribute than Congress investing...