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Graham abruptly leaves hearing during official’s testimony

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., questions a witness at a hearing in May. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call file photo)
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., questions a witness at a hearing in May. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call file photo)

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., abruptly left a Senate Foreign Relations hearing Wednesday during the testimony of a senior administration official.

The moment came after nearly three hours of testimony by Brian Hook, the U.S. Special Representative for Iran. Most of Hook’s statements defended the Trump administration’s recent troop withdrawal from northern Syria.

Graham began his questioning of Hook by thanking him for appearing and noting his questions were “not really about you and your policies” but rather the administration’s policies.

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Graham then called the president’s move to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria the “most screwed-up decision” that he has seen since being elected in 1995.

After not getting answers on several yes-or-no-questions, Graham left the hearing room while Hook was mid-sentence.

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