The United States military has officially renamed yet another base, but a different kind of politics was at play. On Monday, Joint Base Charleston, S.C., which supports more than 60 Pentagon and federal agencies, was renamed Joint Base Lindsey Graham, in honor of the late South Carolina senator who passed away suddenly last month from an aortic dissection.
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth attended the formal renaming ceremony, accompanied by Senator Darlene Graham (R-S.C.), South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster, and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who is also a native of the Palmetto State.
Hegseth, who briefly attempted to imitate Graham’s famed southern drawl, spoke highly of the defense hawk and highlighted the late Senator’s support for the proposed $1.5 trillion defense budget.
“As we gather here today, the War Department is seeking a historic generational investment of $1.5 trillion for American warriors. And Lindsey himself said to me in his office, ‘This is the best military budget I’ve seen since I’ve been in Congress.’ End quote,” Hegseth said. “This department pays tribute to Lindsey Graham in the naming of this base, but there could be no greater tribute than Congress could give than to invest in our warriors for the full $1.5 trillion.”
Graham was the chairman of the Senate Budget Committee and supported the Trump administration’s proposed budget for fiscal 2027.
The Bases Renaming
Shortly after Senator Graham’s passing, Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink ordered his staff to begin work on the renaming process for Air Mobility Command and Joint Base Charleston.
“Senator Graham’s lifelong devotion to the military was shaped by his own military service and his public service in both the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives,” Meink wrote in a letter, according to The Post and Courier. “His steadfast advocacy was instrumental in modernizing our military infrastructure and enhancing aviation security, ensuring that Joint Base Charleston remains as one of America’s premier military installations.”
The installation was formerly known as Charleston Air Force Base before it merged with nearby United States Navy facilities in 2009.
Graham Was a Military Veteran
Senator Graham served in the United States military for 33 years, primarily as a lawyer in the United States Air Force, South Carolina Air National Guard, and Air Force Reserve, before retiring at the rank of colonel. That included more than six years on active duty, including a four-year assignment at Rhein-Main Air Base in Germany. Even after being elected to Congress in 1994, Graham continued his reserve service as a Judge Advocate General (JAG) officer and senior instructor.
Before his final retirement, he deployed twice to the Middle East, serving in both Afghanistan and Iraq.
Graham was also a staunch supporter of Joint Base Charleston, which remains the home to the largest fleet of United States Air Force C-17 cargo jets, as well as home to more than 50 military commands. The base’s two primary flying units include the Air Force’s active duty 437th Airlift Wing and the Air Force Reserve’s 315th Airlift Wing. The late South Carolina senator also helped direct hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding to the base, which included $212 million this past May to support Coast Guard readiness at the facility.
“Sen. Lindsey Graham dedicated his life to serving this state and serving the armed forces of the United States,” Hegseth added. “He served this nation both in uniform and in both houses of Congress. But in both capacities, it was always the same mission. He knew the timeless truth that to ensure peace, we must be prepared for war. Protect your people, protect your state, protect your sovereignty, or you will lose it to someone else who is willing to take it from you.”
