Lindsey Graham dies at 71
The South Carolina Republican leaves behind a three-decade congressional legacy, reshapes Senate politics and sets off an unusual race to replace him on the November ballot.
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Sen. Lindsey Graham, the South Carolina Republican whose three decades in Congress made him one of the most influential voices on national security, the federal judiciary and President Donald Trump’s agenda, died Saturday night at 71.
Graham’s office said in a statement that the seven-term senator died following what it described as a “brief and sudden illness.” It did not disclose a cause of death or provide additional details, saying only that his family was requesting privacy as they grieve.
His death leaves Senate Republicans without one of their most experienced lawmakers and opens a series of consequential questions for Congress and South Carolina politics.
Graham’s death came less than 24 hours after returning from Kyiv, where he met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and announced progress on a new Russia sanctions package, an ending that reflected the role he occupied for much of his Senate career as one of Congress’s most outspoken advocates for an assertive American foreign policy.
He was scheduled to appear on NBC’s Meet the Press this morning.
A sudden loss: “Senator Lindsey Graham, one of the greatest people and Senators I have ever known, is dead!” President Trump posted to Truth Social early this morning. “He was always working, and was a true American Patriot. Lindsey will be greatly missed!!!”
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) expressed deep grief after learning of Graham’s death.
“He was a trusted adviser and colleague to me and many others, and numerous presidents and heads of state have relied on his counsel,” Thune said. “His influence on the federal judiciary, our national defense, and his beloved South Carolina will be felt for generations.”
Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) said Graham always put his faith, family, and South Carolina first.
“Lindsey remained committed to public service and doing what he loved,” Scott added. “He always introduced levity and brought wit to the most challenging moments. Lindsey will be missed.”
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A “South Carolina story”: Graham was raised in a working-class family whose parents operated a restaurant and pool hall. He became the first member of his family to graduate from college.
He served as an active-duty Air Force Judge Advocate in the South Carolina Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve. He retired as a colonel after more than three decades of military service that shaped his identity as a legislator and informed nearly every major foreign policy position he took.
Graham was elected to the South Carolina House in 1992 during the Republican Party’s rapid growth in the state before he was elected to the U.S. House two years later, where he served as one of the House managers during President Bill Clinton’s impeachment trial. During his eight years in the lower chamber, he established his reputation as a constitutional conservative and developed a close friendship with the late John McCain (R-Ariz.).
“Lindsey’s story is a South Carolina story,” Rep. Sheri Biggs (R-S.C.), who now represents Graham’s former House district, said in a statement.
After Sen. Strom Thurmond (R-S.C.), Graham was elected to the Senate in 2002 and served continuously until his death, earning reelection in 2008, 2014 and 2020.
A consequential career: During the George W. Bush era, Graham was viewed as a defense hawk, an immigration reform advocate, an institutional conservative and a bipartisan dealmaker. He worked closely with McCain and Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.), a trio that became known for aggressive interventionist foreign policy.
By the 119th Congress, he chaired the Senate Budget Committee, a largely procedural panel that he transformed into the engine room of President Trump’s legislative agenda. He helped engineer the budget resolutions that unlocked the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and the Secure America Act, then emerged as one of the most vocal advocates for using reconciliation a third time to enact additional Republican priorities—including defense funding and, if procedurally possible, elements of the SAVE America Act.
In addition to Budget, Graham’s major committee assignments also included Appropriations, Judiciary and Environment and Public Works. On Appropriations, he chaired the State and Foreign Operations Subcommittee, giving him significant influence over diplomacy and foreign aid. As Judiciary Chair during Trump’s first term, he helped oversee confirmation of numerous federal judges, including Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett.
He was once again set to be the top Senate Judiciary Republican in the next Congress.
Foreign policy was Graham’s defining issue. Unlike many modern Republicans, he remained a traditional Reagan-era internationalist who held core positions on strong NATO support, expansive American military power, robust defense spending and aggressive sanctions. Graham also strongly advocated for a close U.S.-Israel alliance, strong support for Ukraine and willingness to use force against Iran when necessary.
“He was a powerful advocate for America who believed strongly in the NATO Alliance and was actively working to bring an end to Russia’s war against Ukraine,” NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said about Graham.
Zelenskyy said America and the world lost a leader committed to freedom in the U.S. and across the world.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Graham understood that the security of Israel and America is inseparable.
“Israel has lost one of its greatest friends,” Netanyahu added. “America has lost a great patriot. I have lost a beloved friend.”
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The Trump transformation: Perhaps no relationship defines Graham’s career more than his with Trump.
When Graham ran for president during the 2016 cycle, he sharply criticized Trump and called him unfit for office. By the end of Trump’s first term, Graham had become one of the president’s closest Senate allies.
Following January 6, Graham briefly appeared to distance himself, but the break proved temporary. Within months, he had re-emerged as one of Trump’s most reliable Senate defenders.
By the time of Trump’s return to office, Graham functioned as a trusted informal adviser, Senate foreign-policy surrogate, public defender on Sunday television, and behind-the-scenes negotiator. Yet he still occasionally departed from Trump on tactical or international questions.
This shift from outspoken Trump critic to close ally attracted criticism across the ideological spectrum, with claims that Graham was politically inconsistent.
The road ahead: Graham was up for reelection this year and comfortably won renomination last month with 57% of the vote, avoiding a runoff under South Carolina law, which requires a majority to win outright. His closest challenger, conservative activist and businessman Mark Lynch, finished second with 29%, while the remaining candidates split the rest of the vote.
Graham’s death sets in motion an unusual process to replace him on the November ballot since he won the GOP nomination.
South Carolina law requires the GOP to hold a new special primary rather than allowing party leaders to choose a replacement. Candidate filing opens the second Tuesday after the vacancy occurs and lasts one week. The special primary is held 11 weeks later, with a runoff two weeks after that if no candidate wins a majority. The winner becomes the Republican nominee for the general election.
The midterm elections are 16 weeks away.