Lindsey Graham Dies at 71 After Sudden Illness, officials confirmed.
Veteran Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina has died at the age of 71 after a sudden illness, according to a statement released by his office early Sunday.
Graham, who had represented South Carolina in the U.S. Senate since 2003 and was one of President Donald Trumpโs closest political allies, passed away Saturday evening after what officials described as a โbrief and sudden illness.โ
โSenator Grahamโs family appreciates the prayers and support during this difficult time and respectfully requests privacy as they grieve,โ the statement said.
A prominent figure in Republican politics for more than two decades, Graham served as chairman of the Senate Budget Committee and had been campaigning for a fifth six-year Senate term ahead of the November election. Throughout his Senate career, he became widely recognized for his influence on national security, military policy, and foreign affairs.
Just one day before his death, Graham had returned from Kyiv, Ukraine, where he met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to discuss ongoing U.S. support for Ukraine amid its war with Russia.
Grahamโs death comes as another senior Republican lawmaker, Sen. Mitch McConnell, continues recovering after being hospitalized last month following a reported cardiac emergency at his residence. A spokesperson for McConnell has confirmed he remains under medical care but has not released additional information about his condition.
Lindsey Grahamโs passing marks the end of a lengthy political career that spanned more than 20 years in the Senate, during which he became one of the Republican Partyโs most influential voices on defense, foreign policy, and fiscal issues. His death leaves a significant vacancy in both South Carolina politics and the U.S. Senate.