WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham has died at the age of 71 following what his office described as a "brief and sudden illness." Graham served in the Senate for more than two decades and became one of President Donald Trump's closest allies during his tenure in politics.
Graham's office announced his death early Sunday and said his family has requested privacy as they mourn. No additional details about the cause of his illness were immediately released.
President Donald Trump honored Graham in a post on Truth Social, calling him "a true American Patriot" who would be "greatly missed." South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster also paid tribute, describing Graham as an "irreplaceable" leader and friend.
Graham had represented South Carolina in the U.S. Senate since 2003 after first being elected in 2002. Before joining the Senate, he served four terms in the U.S. House of Representatives, representing South Carolina's 3rd Congressional District from 1995 to 2003.
Throughout his Senate career, Graham served on several influential committees, including the Senate Judiciary Committee, Senate Appropriations Committee and the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. He was widely recognized as one of Congress' leading voices on national security and foreign policy.
His political career was marked by a well-known shift in his relationship with Trump. Graham was an outspoken critic of Trump during the 2016 Republican presidential primary before later becoming one of the president's closest congressional allies. He played a key role in judicial confirmations and frequently advocated for a more aggressive U.S. foreign policy.
Graham remained active until his death. He traveled to Kyiv on Friday to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and had been scheduled to appear Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press."
A veteran of the U.S. Air Force, Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve, Graham served for 33 years before retiring as a colonel in 2015. His military career included deployments during the Gulf War as well as service connected to operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Graham had recently won the Republican primary as he sought a fifth Senate term. His death creates a vacancy in South Carolina's U.S. Senate delegation that will be filled under state law through a gubernatorial appointment followed by a special election.
Subscribe to the LIVE! Daily
Required
Post a comment to this article here: