Topline
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., died after a “brief and sudden illness” on Saturday night, his office confirmed in a statement, prompting tributes Sunday morning as top Republicans and other leaders mourn a senator who wielded a major influence on national and international politics.
The South Carolina senator’s office said the 71-year-old died after a “brief and sudden illness.”
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Key Facts
President Donald Trump called Graham “one of the greatest people and Senators I have ever known,” as well as a “a true American Patriot”—years after Graham emerged as a close ally following staunch opposition to Trump during his first primary campaign in 2015 and 2016.
Graham was a mainstay on news programs and a major face of the Republican Party, and was scheduled for his 64th appearance on “Meet the Press” on Sunday morning.
Trump, who instead spoke to “Meet the Press,” said he spoke with Graham before his death, after the senator returned from a trip to Ukraine: “he sounded great actually, but he actually said he was tired.”
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., called Graham a “trusted adviser and colleague to me and many others, and numerous presidents and heads of state have relied on his counsel,” praising him for his past leadership and offering “heartfelt condolences.”
Graham was famous for his hawkish views on foreign policy, backing military support for U.S. allies like Ukraine and Israel, and both Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wrote long tributes to what the Ukrainian leader called “a true defender of freedom and the values that make our world safer.”
What Was Graham’s Cause of Death?
Graham’s office only said the senator died from a “brief and sudden illness,” offering no further cause of death. His family asked for “privacy during this incredibly difficult time,” according to Graham’s office. EMS responded to a call of cardiac arrest at Graham’s home in Washington, D.C., on Saturday night, according to brief audio obtained by CNN and other outlets. Speaking to “Meet the Press” on Sunday morning, Trump speculated this must have happened shortly after his call with the senator. “It must have been right after that, because I understand the police or whoever it is came there at about 7:30-8:00 in the evening… so somebody notified them.” Trump seemed surprised about Graham’s death, noting “he was fine. I knew him well. He would let you know if he wasn’t feeling well.”
Trump Spoke To Graham Before His Death
Trump said Graham sounded “a little bit tired, but he had a right to be” after returning from his trip to Ukraine. The president said Graham wanted to keep working to pass the Save America Act, the controversial voter ID bill Trump is trying to push through the legislature. “He was like a member of the family to me, it’s very tough,” Trump said.