Sen. Lindsey Graham (RS.C.) said Tuesday the United States should do what the late President Ronald Reagan envisioned it would do after Russia downed a U.S. drone — and that is shoot down Russian planes that threaten U.S. assets. . (See the video below.)
“What should be our response?” Hannity asked.
“Yes, we have to take responsibility and say if you come close to another US asset flying in international waters, your plane will be shot down,” Graham said. “What would Ronald Reagan do now? He would start shooting down Russian planes if they threatened our assets.
The collision occurred in international waters in the Black Sea on Tuesday, according to the US State Department calling it “a violation of international law.”
Russia denied attacking the drone and said it hit the water after a sharp maneuver.
The incident has raised tensions between the US and Russia amid Vladimir Putin’s ongoing war in Ukraine.
Graham blamed President Joe Biden for the spy balloon in the US and the fentanyl crisis. The senator even called out the late “disrespectful” comedian Rodney Dangerfield for a jab at the president.
“Being President Biden, you’re the Rodney Dangerfield of world leaders,” he said. “No one respects you. And if you don’t change the game and step up the game, we will have World War III.
Graham has been one of the GOP’s more vocal advocates of military escalation. He recently called for US forces to attack Mexican drug cartels.