Republican Senator and Trump Ally Lindsey Graham Dies at 71

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, one of President Donald Trump's closest political allies and a leading advocate of an interventionist U.S. foreign policy, has died at the age of 71.

Graham's office announced that he died on Saturday evening after a "brief and sudden" illness. The cause of death was not immediately disclosed.

He had been scheduled to appear on NBC's Meet the Press on Sunday following a recent visit to Ukraine.

Graham began his political career in the U.S. House of Representatives after being elected in 1994. He won a U.S. Senate seat in 2002 and was re-elected in 2008, 2014, and 2020. Just last month, he secured the South Carolina Republican primary, positioning himself to seek a fifth Senate term.

President Donald Trump paid tribute on social media, describing Graham as "one of the greatest people and Senators I have ever known," adding that he was "a true American patriot" who would be "greatly missed."

Under South Carolina law, Governor Henry McMaster will appoint a temporary replacement, while a special election for a full-term successor is expected to be held in November.

Throughout his career, Graham was a strong supporter of using American military power abroad. He was a vocal ally of Israel and Ukraine and recently backed aggressive U.S. military action against Iran. During his latest trip to Ukraine, he visited a drone factory and met President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Graham "a beloved friend," praising his unwavering support for Israel. Zelenskyy also expressed his condolences, describing Graham as "a true defender of freedom."

Although Graham sharply criticized Donald Trump during the 2016 presidential campaign, calling him a "demagogue" and urging Americans to reject him, the two later developed a close political alliance. Graham became one of Trump's most loyal supporters and played a key role in advancing the president's legislative and judicial agenda.

As chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Graham oversaw the confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett and helped shape one of the most significant conservative judicial legacies in recent U.S. history. He later chaired the Senate Budget Committee, where he led efforts to advance Trump's tax, immigration, and spending agenda.

Born on July 9, 1955, in Central, South Carolina, Graham lost both of his parents while in college. He became the legal guardian of his younger sister and later adopted her. After earning a law degree from the University of South Carolina, he served as a lawyer in the U.S. Air Force before entering politics. He also continued serving in the Air Force Reserve during much of his congressional career, including deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan.