Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) died from a “brief and sudden illness” Saturday evening, his office said in a statement.
The 71-year-old was elected to the Senate in 2002. During President Donald Trump’s second term, Graham was a close ally, supporting the president’s military actions against the Iranian regime.
A longtime hawk on Iran, Graham leaves a legacy of backing policies aimed at isolating the country and limiting its missile and nuclear programs, among his many other achievements.
An outpouring of condolences for the senator was quick to follow the news, from colleagues in the U.S. Congress to leaders around the world.
The president called Graham “one of the greatest people and Senators I have ever known” in a post on Truth Social.
“He was always working, was a true American Patriot. Lindsey will be greatly missed!!” Trump said. “So sad!”
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said in a statement that his heart was heavy. “Lindsey’s long and dedicated service in the Air Force and in Congress carried him to far-flung regions of the world. 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.”
South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster called Graham “irreplaceable” and the “fiercest of fighters for South Carolina and America—and a loyal and steadfast friend.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his condolences to Graham’s family. “Israel has lost one of its greatest friends. America has lost a great patriot. I have lost a beloved friend,” he said. “May his values and initiatives continue to guide us toward victory and peace, and may his memory forever be a blessing.”
Graham was not married and lived in Seneca, South Carolina. He was first elected into public office in the 1990s as a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives and then a member of the U.S. House.
He recently served as chair of the Senate Budget Committee. He also served as a member of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, the Senate Judiciary Committee, and the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.
He had planned on seeking reelection for his fifth term in the Senate in the November elections.
Graham had just returned from a trip to Kyiv, Ukraine, where he announced on July 10 new bipartisan legislation called the Sanctioning Russia Act, which had been under negotiation for months with the White House and Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
“We are proud to announce that we have reached an agreement with the Trump Administration to move our updated Russia sanctions legislation forward,” the senators said in a joint statement. “We are very pleased with this significant progress and expect to roll out the legislation very soon.”
The legislation will allow the United States to sanction parties buying Russian oil and natural gas, “fueling the Putin war machine,” they added.
