The longtime Republican senator, Air Force veteran and prominent advocate for an assertive U.S. foreign policy died Saturday evening, according to his office.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican who became one of President Donald Trump’s closest congressional allies and a leading voice on national security and foreign policy, died Saturday evening following a “brief and sudden illness,” his office announced. He was 71.
Graham’s office disclosed his death in a statement posted on social media but did not identify the illness or provide further information about the circumstances.
His family “appreciates prayers at this time and asks for privacy during this incredibly difficult period,” the statement said.
Trump responded early Sunday with a tribute describing Graham as a dedicated senator, political ally and patriot.
“Senator Lindsey Graham, one of the greatest people and Senators I have ever known, is dead!” Trump wrote on social media. “He was always working, and was a true American Patriot. Lindsey will be greatly missed!!! DETAILS AND ARRANGEMENTS TO FOLLOW. So sad!”
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said Graham’s death represented the loss of a friend and colleague whose military and congressional service took him around the world.
“My heart is heavy this morning to learn the passing of my friend and colleague, Senator Lindsey Graham,” Thune said.
“Lindsey’s long and dedicated service in the Air Force and in Congress carried him to far-flung regions of the world,” he continued. “He was a strong advocate for the United States and a strong ally to freedom-loving countries across the globe. He believed in the might of America to achieve good in the world and dedicated his life to advancing that cause.”
Graham was first elected to the Senate in 2002 after serving in the U.S. House of Representatives. Over more than two decades in the chamber, he became closely associated with defense policy, international alliances and efforts to confront governments including Iran and Russia.
His relationship with Trump underwent a significant political transformation.
Graham briefly sought the Republican presidential nomination during the 2016 campaign and sharply criticized Trump, at one point calling him “unfit for office.”
After Trump entered the White House, however, Graham developed into one of his most visible and dependable allies. The two spoke frequently, and Graham became a regular companion of the president on the golf course.
He also served as an informal adviser on major foreign policy matters, particularly those involving Iran, Russia and Ukraine.
Only one day before his death, Graham announced that he had reached an agreement with the Trump administration to advance a new package of sanctions against Russia.
He had recently traveled to Ukraine to meet President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The Ukrainian leader noted that it was Graham’s 10th visit to the country and thanked him for “recognizing our warriors.”
Graham’s focus on Iran stretched back to his years in the House during the 1990s, when he supported measures intended to isolate Tehran and constrain its missile and nuclear programs.
He praised Trump’s decision to strike Iranian nuclear facilities last year and supported the more recent conflict that began several months ago.
Before his close alliance with Trump, Graham was perhaps best known nationally for his friendship and political partnership with the late Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.
Graham, McCain and former Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., became known as the “Three Amigos.” The three lawmakers frequently traveled abroad together and promoted a more interventionist U.S. approach to global security threats.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mourned Graham on Sunday, calling him “a great friend of Israel” and “a cherished friend of mine.”
Netanyahu said Graham understood the connection between Israeli and American security and had dedicated his life to defending the United States, reinforcing the alliance between the two nations and supporting democratic countries around the world.
“Israel has lost one of its greatest friends. America has lost a great patriot. I have lost a beloved friend,” Netanyahu said as he offered condolences to Graham’s family and the American people.
At the time of his death, Graham was chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, a position that placed him at the center of the Republican legislative agenda during Trump’s second administration.
With the party holding a narrow Senate majority, Graham’s committee supervised the budget reconciliation process, which enabled Republicans to advance major legislation without needing enough votes to overcome a Democratic filibuster.
That procedure was used to enact last year’s tax law through a party-line vote.
Graham had previously chaired the Senate Judiciary Committee and led the panel during the 2020 confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett to the U.S. Supreme Court.
He was expected to be in position to reclaim the Judiciary Committee chairmanship if Republicans maintained control of the Senate after this year’s midterm elections.
Graham also played a major role in the 2013 effort to pass a sweeping rewrite of U.S. immigration law.
As one of the bipartisan “Gang of Eight,” he helped draft legislation that addressed border enforcement, legal immigration and the status of people living in the United States without authorization.
The measure passed the Senate with 68 votes but never received consideration in the House and did not become law.
His support for a pathway to citizenship for immigrants without legal status repeatedly placed him at odds with conservative members of his party and contributed to primary challenges in South Carolina.
Graham faced renewed opposition this year from Paul Dans, a principal author of Project 2025, the conservative governing plan developed while Trump sought another term.
Dans withdrew from the race in April. Graham then secured the Republican nomination outright in June and was scheduled to face Democratic nominee Annie Andrews, a Charleston pediatrician, in the November election.
Graham leaned heavily on his relationship with Trump while confronting those primary challenges.
Addressing the president after his victory last month, Graham said, “I’m going to help you change this world and change this country.”
The limited disclosure surrounding Graham’s death comes amid broader concerns about transparency regarding the health of members of Congress.
Rep. Tom Kean Jr., R-N.J., recently returned after an unexplained absence lasting months and disclosed that he had been diagnosed with depression.
Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., was also hospitalized several weeks ago for health reasons that were not publicly identified.
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