US Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) died Saturday following a brief illness at the age of 71, his office confirmed.
“On the evening of Saturday, July 11, U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham passed away from a brief and sudden illness. Senator Graham’s family appreciates prayers at this time and asks for privacy during this incredibly difficult period,” Graham’s office said on X on Sunday morning.
A cause of death was not immediately revealed.
Emergency officials responded to Graham’s Capitol Hill home at around 8:30 p.m. when they received a report about an individual suffering from chest pains, the Washington Post reported, citing police scanner audio.
Officials performed CPR on the man as he went into cardiac arrest nearly a half hour later and was rushed to George Washington University Hospital, according to the outlet.
Graham, a staunch ally of President Trump, was scheduled to appear on NBC News’ “Meet the Press” Sunday morning.
The septuagenarian had shown no signs of feeling unwell before his death, a staffer told NBC News.
“Senator Lindsey Graham, one of the greatest people and Senators I have ever known, is dead! Trump mourned on Truth Social. “He was always working and was a true American Patriot. Lindsey will be greatly missed!!!
Trump said that funeral details and arrangements for Graham will be revealed in the coming days.
Graham, whose birthday was Thursday, had just returned to the US after a trip to Ukraine, where he met with President Volodymyr Zelensky to discuss the ongoing war against Russia.
Zelensky hosted Graham on Friday, where the two had a “really good meeting” inside the presidential palace in Kyiv.
“Lindsey was a true defender of freedom and the values that make our world safer,” Zelensky wrote on X Sunday. “He visited Ukraine ten times during the years of Russia’s full-scale invasion and was here with our people when it was most needed.
“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,” he added.
The Seneca, South Carolina, resident has represented the Palmetto State in the US Senate since 2003, succeeding outgoing 100-year-old Strom Thurmond.
He held key positions in the upper chamber, including as chairman of the Senate Budget Committee.
Graham has been a fierce critic of Iran and has introduced several bills aimed at limiting the Islamic regime’s nuclear capabilities and isolating the rogue nation.
He has regularly advocated for extending Trump’s wartime powers as the US negotiated a cease-fire with Iran in hopes of reopening the Strait of Hormuz while ensuring Iran doesn’t rebuild its nuclear program.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mourned Graham’s death as Israel losing “one of its greatest friends.”
“In our recent meeting, I said, ‘Lindsey is a great friend of Israel and a cherished friend of mine. We have no better friend than Lindsey,’” Netanyahu said. “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 has lost one of its greatest friends. America has lost a great patriot. I have lost a beloved friend,” he added.
Graham was seeking his fifth Senate term and won the South Carolina GOP primary on June 9, receiving a majority, 56.78%, of the vote against five challengers.
Because Graham died as the state party’s Senate nominee, Republican officials will hold a special primary election, according to state election law.
No date for the special election has been announced.
South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster may fill Graham’s vacancy to serve out the remainder of the term until the next Congress convenes in January.
Before his four-term Senate career, Graham represented South Carolina’s third congressional district in the US House between 1995 and 2003.
Graham had served in the US Air Force as an active duty lawyer, retiring in 2015 as a colonel with the Air Force Reserve.
Sen. Tim Scott, Graham’s junior senator from South Carolina, remembered his “friend” for his “levity and wit”
“South Carolina lost a statesman, and I’ve lost a friend,” Scott wrote on X. “My prayers are with his sister and the rest of his family.
“From his humble beginnings to the Senate floor, Lindsey always led with faith, family, and South Carolina first. Lindsey remained committed to public service and doing what he loved. He always introduced levity and brought wit to the most challenging moments. Lindsey will be missed,” he said.
South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster described Graham as “irreplaceable” and the “fiercest of fighters.”
“Peggy and I—and our children—are devastated. Lindsey Graham is irreplaceable. The fiercest of fighters for South Carolina and America—and a loyal and steadfast friend. We grieve with Darline, his family, and his devoted staff. May God hold him gently in the palm of his hand. We shall not see his likes again,” McMaster wrote on X.
https://nypost.com/2026/07/12/us-news/south-carolina-sen-lindsey-graham-dead-at-71-after-brief-and-sudden-illness/
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