LINDSEY GRAHAM: Senator Dies at 71 After Brief Illness

LINDSEY GRAHAM: Senator Dies at 71 After Brief Illness
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U.s. Senator Lindsey Graham (r Sc) Speaks To The Media In Kyiv
A picture taken on July 10, 2026 shows U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) speaking to the media after his meeting with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine. REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko

UPDATE (7:45 p.m. ET): A preliminary medical examiner’s report says Graham suffered an aortic dissection, a tear in the inner wall of the body’s main artery, linked to hardened arteries. An official cause of death will be disclosed after more testing. (Washington Post)

Senator Lindsey Graham died Saturday at age 71 after a “brief and sudden illness,” his office announced. No cause of death was immediately released.

First elected to the Senate in 2002 and serving since 2003, Graham became one of the Republican Party’s most influential lawmakers on foreign policy and judicial nominations. He recently returned from a bipartisan trip to Ukraine and had been scheduled to appear Sunday on NBC’s Meet the Press.

“We are heartbroken to announce that Senator Lindsey Graham passed away after a brief and sudden illness,” his office said in a statement. South Carolina law calls for the governor to appoint an interim successor until a special election is held.

President Donald Trump paid tribute to Graham in a Truth Social post. He wrote, “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!!!” He later added, “I can’t believe it. He was like a member of the family to me, it’s very tough. He was a great politician.”

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