Graham on Trump: ‘I can’t go where he’s taking the party’

by Jordain Carney - 10/06/16 11:54 AM ET

Sen. Lindsey Graham on Trump: “I can’t go where he is taking the party” https://t.co/6OZtrfIwim https://t.co/FgCRZeO6Er

— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) October 6, 2016

Sen. Lindsey Graham said Thursday that while he believes Donald Trump is improving as a candidate, he still isn’t able to support the Republican presidential nominee.

“I’ve come to the point now where I can’t go where he’s taking the party or the country,” the South Carolina Republican told CNN. “He’s getting better. You know I hope that he will continue to get better.”

{mosads}Graham has been one of Trump’s most outspoken critics within the Senate GOP caucus.

He announced in May that he could not support the businessman — despite signing a pledge during his own failed presidential bid that he would back the eventual nominee. He’s also repeatedly predicted that Trump will lose.

Questioned about the areas in which he believes Trump is getting better, he pointed to Indiana Gov. Mike Pence’s support during the vice presidential debate for using airstrikes against the Assad government if Russia doesn’t drop its support for the Syrian government’s siege against Aleppo.

Trump has previously ruled out using force against the Syrian government. Pressed about the split within the GOP ticket, Graham added Thursday, “I’m assuming it’s Donald Trump’s idea.”

Graham has repeatedly pushed the Obama administration to increase its military efforts to fight Syrian President Bashar al-Assad as part of the U.S. effort to end the country’s civil war.

Tags Donald Trump Lindsey Graham Mike Pence