FACT CHECK: Does This Video Show Lindsey Graham Being Heckled At The Airport For His Stance On Gun Control?

A video shared on Facebook purportedly shows Republican South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham being called a traitor at an airport for his stance on gun control.

Verdict: False

The video was not captured recently and is unrelated to gun control. It dates back to 2021 when Graham publicly ceased his support for former President Donald Trump.

Fact Check:

Graham issued a press release declaring his support for the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, a bipartisan gun safety bill, on June 21. The act seeks to tighten restrictions around obtaining a firearm license ad also provides funding for mental health services and crisis intervention programs, according to a statement published by the White House.

A video shared on Facebook appears to show Graham sitting in an airport while a crowd chants “Traitor” at him. “Here is Lindsey Graham the RINO Twink being confronted over his stance on gun control,” the video’s caption claims. “He deserves it. He would sell his mom out to be relevant.” (RELATED: Did Lindsey Graham Say That Trump ‘Probably Knows More About Medicine’ Than The ‘So-Called Scientists At The NIH And CDC’?)

The video was not captured recently, however. The New York Times and Politico both published articles reporting on the situation in January 2021 and explained the harassment had to do with Graham’s relationship with Trump. On the evening of Jan. 6, Graham publicly ceased his support for Trump and refused to support his challenges to the 2020 presidential election, stating, “All I can say is, count me out. Enough is enough,” Politico reported.

Following this, various Trump supporters crowded around Graham at Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington and began calling him a “traitor” and a “liar” for voting to certify President Joe Biden’s 2020 victory, according to The New York Times. The video shared on Facebook matches descriptions and other videos of the January 2021 incident. There is no evidence to suggest the video has anything to do with gun control.

A similar video showing Graham being escorted out of the airport by security was shared on Twitter Jan. 8 by Politico reporter Daniel Lippman. “A source sends this video of a group of Trump supporters today harassing Sen. Lindsey Graham at Reagan airport and loudly calling him a ‘traitor’ after he publicly broke with Trump earlier this week,” Lippman captioned the video.

Reuters published a video from another angle on Youtube Jan. 9 with the title, “‘Traitor!’ Senator Lindsey Graham heckled by Trump supporters at airport.”

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