Trump says he gave out Graham’s phone number ‘for fun’

Donald Trump doesn’t regret giving out Sen. Lindsey Graham’s personal cellphone number during a televised speech on Tuesday, he told Fox News. 

“It seems to have gotten a lot of press, but I don’t regret it at all. He calls me names, you have to fight back,” Trump said on “Fox and Friends” on Wednesday.

“I did it for fun. Everybody had a good time. We had a packed house.”

When asked if @realDonaldTrump regrets giving out Lindsey Graham’s phone number: “Not at all” https://t.co/eoDCTQ9gST

— FOX & Friends (@foxandfriends) July 22, 2015

Trump panned his rival for the GOP presidential nomination while speaking in the South Carolina senator’s home state, saying Graham “doesn’t seem like a very bright guy.” He also accused Graham of hypocrisy, noting that Graham called him a few years ago “begging” for a good reference to be a guest on “Fox and Friends.”

He then held up a piece of paper with Graham’s cellphone number on it and read it to the crowd. 

“He gave me his number, and I found the card. I wrote the number down. I don’t know if it’s the right number, let’s try it,” Trump said.

Trump explained Wednesday on Fox that he wanted to push back against Graham for calling him a “jackass” on television earlier this week and criticized Graham for his low showing in the presidential polls.

“I’ve never seen anything like it, to be honest. He came out, he started calling me a jackass on every program,” Trump said.

“The guy’s got zero in the polls. He’s got nothing going anyway. I don’t even think he’s very popular in his own state, because you heard the applause I was getting.”

Despite his controversial rhetoric and low favorability ratings, Trump is at the top of recent GOP presidential polls.  In the four most recent surveys included in the RealClearPolitics average, Trump averages 18 points, and Graham fails to register.