Trump Ally Blames Obama and Biden for Australia Hanukkah Attack That Killed 15: 'They Have a Lot To Do With This'

US Senator Lindsey Graham's Monday night Fox News appearance was something else entirely. The Republican senator from South Carolina—and one of Donald Trump's most vocal allies—directly blamed former Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden for the horrific terror attack that killed 15 people at a Hanukkah celebration in Sydney over the weekend.

'Obama and Biden have a lot to do with this,' Graham declared on Hannity, looking absolutely furious. It was less than 48 hours after two gunmen had massacred Jewish families celebrating the first night of Hanukkah at Bondi Beach, one of Australia's most famous locations. Fifteen were dead, including a 10-year-old child, a British rabbi, a Holocaust survivor, and a former police officer. Another 25 were injured.

Graham's On-Air Accusations

Graham reasoned that their Middle East policies over the years supposedly created the perfect conditions for ISIS to thrive. 'I blame the terrorist, but Obama allowed ISIS to come about when he withdrew from Iraq,' the 70-year-old senator argued. He praised Trump's approach, saying the former president 'destroyed the Caliphate, killed [Iranian General Qassem] Soleimani and got out of the Iran nuclear deal'.

Then Graham's rhetoric intensified. 'And the dumba-- Biden,' he continued, his voice rising. 'The biggest dumba-- on the planet withdrew from Afghanistan, obliterated our borders and rejoined the Iran nuclear agreement, making the Ayatollah flush with cash.'

There is one rather awkward problem with his argument: Biden never actually rejoined the Iran nuclear deal. The agreement was put in place during Obama's presidency. Trump withdrew from it during his first term. Biden considered rejoining but ultimately did not.

The Bondi Beach Attack

The attack itself was horrific. On Sunday evening, families had gathered at Bondi Beach for a public menorah lighting to celebrate Hanukkah. That's when two men—50-year-old Sajid Akram and his 24-year-old son Naveed—opened fire on the crowd. Australian Federal Police later found improvised explosive devices and two homemade ISIS flags in their car.

Police killed the father at the scene. His son was shot but survived and remains in hospital under armed guard. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called it 'an act of pure evil' and 'an act of evil antisemitism'. Federal Police Commissioner Krissy Barrett confirmed it was 'a terrorist attack inspired by Islamic State'.

Investigators have noted that both Akrams visited the Philippines last month. Australian authorities believe they might have gone there for training, as extremist groups like Abu Sayyaf operate in the southern Philippines. Graham seized on this, saying: 'I bet you everything that I own these two bastards went to the Philippines to meet with their ISIS brothers.' Australian security officials have confirmed Naveed had ties to Australia's pro-Islamic State network.

The Hero Everyone's Talking About

Here's the bit Graham barely mentioned: whilst everyone else was running away from the gunfire, one man ran towards it. Ahmed al Ahmed, a Syrian-born Australian, charged at one of the gunmen, tackled him, and wrestled away his firearm. He was shot in the process and remains hospitalised, due for surgery on Wednesday.

Oh, and Ahmed al Ahmed is Muslim. So whilst Graham's on Fox News declaring we're in 'a religious war with radical Islam', a Muslim bloke's lying in a Sydney hospital having been shot whilst saving Jewish lives from ISIS terrorists. The irony's almost too perfect. Prime Minister Albanese visited him and said he 'represents the best of our country'. A GoFundMe for his recovery has raised over £1.6 million.

Graham Extends Criticism to Australia

The senator didn't stop at Obama and Biden. He also tore into the Australian government, calling Western nations 'pathetically weak in the face of religious Nazis'. He particularly hated Albanese's call for stricter gun control, saying: 'Gun control is not the answer in fighting ISIS. That doesn't get you anything but dead.'

Graham claimed Australia had 'allowed' ISIS into their country by being too soft. 'The Australian model failed the Australian Jewish community. It failed the Australian people,' he declared. He also claimed Israeli officials had warned Australia about rising threats to the Jewish community but were ignored. Antisemitic incidents in Australia have tripled since 7 October 2023, with over 2,000 recorded in the year to September 2024.

The Political Reality

Graham argues that Trump's aggressive approach to terrorism keeps everyone safer, while Obama and Biden's more diplomatic style creates vacuums that terrorists exploit. However, his timeline contains several inaccuracies. ISIS emerged during George W. Bush's presidency, not Obama's. The Iraq withdrawal Graham blames on Obama was actually scheduled by Bush. The Afghanistan withdrawal he blames on Biden was negotiated by Trump.

Graham's selective use of facts to fit a political narrative in the immediate aftermath of a tragedy has drawn its own criticism.