Lindsey Graham takes grilling after being spotted at Disney World amid shutdown

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Raw Story

March 29, 2026 6:04PM ET


Amid the ongoing partial government shutdown that has sparked chaos and long lines at airports nationwide, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) was spotted at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida dining at Chef Mickey’s, and having a “grand ol’ time,” TMZ reported on Sunday, sparking immediate backlash from several notable critics.

“Divas still need vacation,” reads a social media post from California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s press office in response to Graham’s Disney World getaway.

“Why is an old man with no kids going to Disney?” wrote conservative journalist Cassandra MacDonald in a social media post on X.

Graham confirmed his trip to Disney World to TMZ, telling the outlet that he was in Florida on official business. "I was invited to a meeting in South Florida on Friday with Trump official Steve Witkoff... to talk about the possibility of normalization between Saudi Arabia and Israel,” Graham told TMZ. “I went to Orlando to meet friends after. I'm already back in South Carolina."

Read more: https://www.rawstory.com/lindsey-graham-2676635810/

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Divas still need vacation

— Governor Newsom Press Office (@govpressoffice.gov.ca.gov) 2026-03-30T03:24:18.022Z

Link to tweet

Governor Newsom Press Office
@GovPressOffice
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Divas still need vacation
TMZ
@TMZ
PHOTOS: Lindsey Graham vacationing at Disney World amid shutdown 📸https://tmz.com/2026/03/29/lindsey-graham-at-disney-world-amid-shutdown/
4:47 PM · Mar 29, 2026

[TommyT139]

1. Newsom is developing a pattern

...and it's not as funny as he thinks. Calling Graham a "diva" just adds to the tally.

Gavin Newsom Is Being Weirdly Homophobic Yet Again

The governor of California won’t stop invoking people’s alleged Grindr accounts as an insult.

https://www.them.us/story/gavin-newsom-is-being-weirdly-homophobic-yet-again

The whole story is worth reading by anyone who still thinks Gavin Newsom is solidly behind LGBTQ people.

(The article's observations being facts, I do not see this as a violation of the tarnishing Democrats rule.)

[Irish_Dem]

2. How is calling Graham a "diva" homophobic?

I don't think it sounds bad, the man is a jackass diva.

And in the military we win the war first and worry about polite conversation and niceties
later.

I have been a strong advocate for women and gay rights since I have been a kid.
I have earned the right to say my say.


Newsom is right. Win the gd war by any means possible, sort the rest out later.

If we do not do this, NONE OF US WILL HAVE ANY RIGHTS EVER AGAIN.

We need to stay focused and beat the hell out of MAGA.

[TommyT139]

5. Say what you want, of course.

If you don't understand how Newsom's use of "diva" plays on homophobic stereotypes, I can't help you. Apart from that, in this country, freedom of speech doesn't have to be "earned."

We absolutely need to win in November...and whatever comes after November. Naming the communication patterns of someone who might end up being part of that is a legitimate exercise.

[Miguelito Loveless]

9. I have never encountered "diva" as a gay slur

Diva (/ˈdiːvə/, Italian: [ˈdiːva]), the Latin word for a goddess, has often been used as an honorific to refer to a celebrated woman of outstanding talent in the world of opera, theatre, cinema, fashion and popular music. If referring to an actress, the meaning of diva is closely related to that of prima donna. Diva can also refer to a person, especially one in show business, with a reputation for being temperamental or demanding. The application of the term has broadened beyond the performing arts to also include celebrated political and business leaders.

In American English I have always heard it used pejoratively as describing a person who is a pain in the ass to work with, a self-important person who believes they are the to be treated as almost royalty.

[QueerDuck]

12. There you go! "Goddess" ... it's mis-gendering him and using it to denigrate him.

It's no different than adding "lady" to his first initial... no different than dressing up Fetterman in women's clothing.

But, apparently such things are allowed if the slur and insult is being used against someone we dislike.

Ugh.

[Miguelito Loveless]

14. You went straight to the original meaning from the Italian

I quoted the more common usage in American English. The Italian use is not pejorative, the US use is, but refers to men and women. You are taking the Italian use, and assuming deliberate misgendering. As I recall, when people wanted to do that, they referred to him as "Miss Lindsey", THAT is misgendering.

This reminds me of the folks who got upset about the word "niggardly" and drove a city councilman out of office despite the fact that the word had NO relationship or derivation from the "N word". Lindsey Graham is certainly a "diva|", as is Trump. They are both self-important asses who feel they should be treated as royalty.

[Bengus81]

11. Maybe he should have just posted a sternly worded message?!?!

He's doing what they've done to us for decades. I applauded it.

[wcmagumba]

3. Good for Governor Newsom, Graham is a bit of a Diva as far as I can tell.

Nothing wrong with that. As someone having had many "Diva" friends throughout my life the signs are pretty obvious, I loved all of them...

[twodogsbarking]

4. Collecting his payoff.

[Ray Bruns]

6. "Why is an old man with no kids going to Disney?"

Why indeed?

[poozwah]

7. searching

looking for a ride?

[LetMyPeopleVote]

13. There are many people who go to Disney World without kids

My adult children and I go to Walt Disney on a regular basis. My first trip was in 1984 with my ex-wife and our oldest was born nine months later. We started going before we had kids and took the kids to Disney many times. I used to have a time share at Disney but sold it after my divorce. I have pictures of my middle child trying to run off with Chip and Dale when she was three or so. My oldest child got on the hot seat at Who Wants to Be a Millionaire at 15. My middle child made into the contestant pool for Who Wants to Be a Millionaire when that show was being filmed at WDW. It was a random selection, and I did not make the cut. She did not get onto the show. I admit that I used to go to WDW by myself when I had the time share and enjoyed among other things playing Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (I got onto the Hot Seat 16 times).

I had a former associate at my firm who has visited every Disney resort in every country. My oldest just went to Tokyo Disney two years ago. My older two went to the California Disney parks a year ago. I have not been to the original California park since I was 11 (back when there were "E-ticket" rides) and I am thinking of going back there. We were at Disney World in Orlando the last two Octobers and will be headed to Disney World in December for my 70th birthday.

My oldest has a time share that is right next to the Contemporary Resort where they caught Graham. You do NOT need kids to enjoy Disney World. My oldest is a foodie and there are some really great restaurants at Disney. The restaurant where they caught Graham, Chef Mickey, is a nice buffet that I do not remember ever eating at (there are so many good places to eat at WDW). I personally like a fried chicken place run by Art Smith (who has been a judge on Top Chef). There are several really top tier restaurants at Walt Disney that are very nice.

I am amused that Graham went to Disney World, but I am not surprised. You do not need kids to go Disney World.

[SpankMe]

15. There's some context others see here that you may be missing

Adults who go to Disney without children usually go because they, themselves, had young children in the past and went to Disney as a family together. Or, they - as children - went to Disney a lot with their parents. Adults who go to Disney without children usually have a past involving Disney visits with, or as, kids.

For a single man, who never had children - and who has no history of having visited Disney as a child - to suddenly be seen there solo (i.e., not even nieces or nephews) has a certain "creeper" feel to it.

I agree that adults should be free to visit Disney without kids without stigma (unlike Chucky Cheese where they used to decline service to single men wanting to dine in). But there are certain circumstances where a single adult visiting The Kingdom solo feels odd. This is one of those times.

[rpannier]

8. Graham's excuse sounds about as believeable as the one given by Cancun Cruz a few years back

[twodogsbarking]

10. I would like to see him grilled, like a hamberder, well done.