US Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, a powerful fixture in conservative politics and a pivotal ally of President Donald Trump, has died at the age of 71.
According to an official statement released by his congressional office, the veteran Republican lawmaker passed away on the evening of Saturday, July 11, following a brief and sudden illness.
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“Senator Graham's family appreciates prayers at this time and asks for privacy during this incredibly difficult period,” the statement added.
Statement from the Office of U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina). pic.twitter.com/CQ5yVvqTH1
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) July 12, 2026
Emergency personnel responded to a report of a "cardiac arrest" at Graham's Capitol Hill residence on Saturday night, according to police scanner audio obtained by NBC News.
The senator's sudden passing came just after his return from Kyiv, Ukraine, where he had met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday.
First elected to the US Senate in 2002 after serving in the House of Representatives, the South Carolina statesman established himself as a dominant voice.
As chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, Graham was a highly prominent member of the chamber and a defining voice for his party on defence and international affairs. At the time of his passing, he was campaigning for a fifth six-year term in the Senate this November.
While he was a fierce critic of Donald Trump during his own 2016 presidential run, Graham later shifted to become one of Trump's most loyal allies on Capitol Hill and an outspoken defender of his policies during recent conflicts.
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Tributes are expected to pour in from Republican leaders, congressional colleagues and political figures across the United States as Washington processes the sudden loss.
A retired Air Force Reserve colonel and former military lawyer, Graham was a well-known foreign policy hawk who championed the Iraq War and consistently advocated for military action against Iran, according to The Guardian.
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