U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham, the longtime South Carolina Republican and close ally of President Donald Trump, died last night at age 71 following a brief and sudden illness, his office announced. Emergency responders answered a call around 8:30 p.m. Saturday at Graham’s Capitol Hill home for a person suffering chest pains and found him in cardiac arrest; he was transported to George Washington University Hospital, where he died.
Graham had represented South Carolina in the Senate since 2003, serving as a prominent voice on defense and foreign policy matters and emerging as one of Trump’s most loyal allies on Capitol Hill. He was running for reelection this year and had just won his Republican primary in June with Trump’s backing.
The senator had returned to Washington on Friday after a trip to Kyiv, Ukraine, where he met with President Volodymyr Zelensky on July 10 to discuss U.S. support for Ukraine’s defense. In his final public appearance that day, Graham stood in front of tanks and spoke to journalists about an agreement to punish Russia, saying “if we did that, combined with creating tools to punish those countries that prop up Putin and make money off this war, then I think we’ve got the best chance since I’ve been coming here in the last five years to get Putin to the peace table.”
According to police scanner audio obtained by The Washington Post, emergency personnel responded to Graham’s home around 8:30 p.m. Saturday for a report of chest pains. About 25 minutes later, responders indicated that CPR was in progress and that a person at the residence was in cardiac arrest. Photographs reviewed by NBC News showed paramedics carrying a person on a stretcher from the house to an ambulance around 9:30 p.m., with police cars and fire trucks on scene.
Graham’s office said he died “from a brief and sudden illness” but provided no further details about the cause of death. A top staffer told NBC News that there was no indication Graham had been feeling unwell before his death, and there had been no known concerns over his health. Graham had celebrated his 71st birthday the Thursday before his death.
Graham was scheduled to appear on NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday morning. His communications director of 27 years, Kevin Bishop, confirmed his death on social media, writing “Incredibly sad day. As his Communications Director for 27 years he was truly one of a kind and will be greatly missed. South Carolina and America have lost a great public servant.”
President Trump posted a tribute to Graham on Truth Social at 3:21 a.m., writing “Senator Lindsey Graham, one of the greatest people and Senators I have ever known, is dead! He was always working, and was a true American Patriot. Lindsey will be greatly missed!!!” Graham had evolved from a vocal Trump critic in the 2016 campaign to become one of his most consistent Republican supporters in the Senate.
Graham never married or had children. His death comes amid recent concerns about the health of other senior lawmakers, including Kentucky Republican Mitch McConnell, 84, who was hospitalized weeks ago for undisclosed health reasons.
Sources
- The Daily Beast — Emergency responders’ call details, chest pain report, cardiac arrest confirmation, Ukraine trip timing, final public appearance, Graham’s meeting with Zelensky, scheduled NBC appearance, no prior health concerns, Trump’s tribute, communications director confirmation
- NBC News — Paramedic photographs, hospital transport, top staffer confirmation of no prior illness indicators
- The Washington Post — Official death announcement, career background, Trump ally status, reelection campaign
- The Kyiv Independent — Zelensky meeting on July 10, Ukraine visit details
