Firebrand US Senator Lindsey Graham has died at the age of 71 after a ‘brief and sudden illness.’
The longtime Trump ally from South Carolina passed away on Saturday evening, according to a statement from his office.
‘Senator Graham’s family appreciates prayers at this time and asks for privacy at this incredibly difficult period,’ the statement read.
Emergency services responded to a ‘cardiac arrest’ at Graham’s home in Washington DC on Saturday night, NBC News reported.
US president Donald Trump wrote following Graham’s passing: ‘Senator Lindsey Graham, one of the greatest people and Senators I have ever known, is dead! He was always working, and was a true American Patriot. Lindsey will be greatly missed!’
The Republican senator’s death comes just days after he visited Ukraine and met with the country’s president Volodymyr Zelensky to discuss the ongoing Russian invasion.
His meeting with the leader of Ukraine is understood to be the last public image of him. There were no known concerns about his health in the lead up to his trip to the embattled nation.
Graham later announced that an agreement had been reached with President Donald Trump to advance bipartisan legislation targeting countries buying Russian energy which would potentially clear the way for stronger pressure on Moscow over its war in Ukraine.
Most recently he served on Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee and as a member of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, Senate Judiciary Committee and Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.
US Senator Lindsey Graham has died at the age of 71 from a ‘brief and sudden illness’
His death comes just days after he visited Ukraine and met with the country’s president Volodymyr Zelensky
He has been a close ally of President Trump and a longtime hawk on Iran
He was elected to the Senate in 2002. He has been a close ally of President Trump, a longtime hawk on Iran and an ardent supporter of Israel.
Graham also cheered on Trump’s decision to strike nuclear sites last year and had been been a supporter of the latest conflict that started a few months ago.
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu said in a post to X: ‘Israel has lost one of its greatest friends. America has lost a great patriot. I have lost a beloved friend.
‘Lindsey understood that the security of Israel and America are inseparable. He devoted his life to defending America, strengthening our alliance and standing up for the free world.’
Israel’s nation’s defence minster, Israel Katz, said today that he was ‘deeply saddened’ by Graham’s passing, describing him as ‘a true friend of the State of Israel and one of its strongest and most steadfast supporters.’
He said in a post to X: ‘Throughout the years, Senator Graham stood with Israel in its most difficult moments, worked tirelessly to strengthen the strategic alliance between Israel and the United States, and was an unwavering voice in support of Israel’s security and its right to defend itself.’
Alongside his support of Israel, he was a firm backer of Ukraine, telling the BBC in 2023: ‘Putin will not stop in Ukraine. To be weak in Ukraine means that you lose in Taiwan.’
Zelensky wrote on social media following Graham’s death: ‘A staunch advocate for bipartisan and bicameral support for Ukraine, in recent weeks, he had been working on important initiatives that could help bring peace closer, including stronger sanctions against Russia.
‘We will always be especially grateful for the recognition of our people and words of admiration for the courage of Ukraine’s defenders. America and the world have lost a determined leader.’
Graham never married and is survived by his younger sister Darline Graham Nordone and other relatives.
For decades, his status as a long-term bachelor fuelled rumours about his sexuality. But in 2018 interview with TMZ, he firmly denied being gay.
Prior to serving in the Senate, Graham was elected to the House of Representatives in 1994.
As a member of the House in the 1990s, he backed policies aimed at isolating Iran and limiting its missile and nuclear programs.
Graham also served in the United States Air Force with a six-and-a-half year stint service on active duty as an Air Force lawyer.
He then went on to join the South Carolina Air National Guard until 1995, during which time he was called to active duty in the Gulf War.
He enlisted in the Air Force reserves where he achieved the rank of Colonel before he retired in June 2015.
Born in July 1955 in Central, Pickens County, Graham came from humble beginnings and was the first member of his family to go to college.
He earned his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of South Carolina and was a practising Baptist.
Graham had been in Ukraine to discuss the ongoing Russian invasion
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky presented a vyshyvanka, a traditional Slavic embroidered shirt, to Graham during his visit
The sparse statement by Graham’s office, which did not explain his death, comes during a stretch of concern about a lack of transparency about lawmakers´ health.
Tom Kean Jr, a New Jersey Republican, was absent without explanation for months before returning to Congress and disclosing that he had been diagnosed with depression.
Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, was hospitalised weeks ago for undisclosed health reasons.
Graham, who was most known for his hawkish foreign policy positions, mounted a brief bid for the party´s presidential nomination during the 2016 campaign and later was a vocal critic of Donald Trump, the eventual GOP nominee.
Yet Graham became one of the now-president´s closest allies in office, speaking with him frequently and becoming a regular presence on the golf course alongside Trump.
He especially advised the president on foreign policy matters such as Iran and Russia and had just announced an agreement on Friday with the Trump administration to move forward on a package of Russia sanctions.
This is a breaking news story.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login