Sen. Lindsey Graham dies after a 'brief and sudden illness,' his office says | PBS News
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Sen. Lindsey Graham dies after a 'brief and sudden illness,' his office says
Politics
Updated on Jul 12, 2026 3:09 PM EDT — Published on<br>Jul 12, 2026 9:37 AM EDT
WASHINGTON (AP) — Sen. Lindsey Graham, one of President Donald Trump's closest allies in Congress who traveled the globe to advocate for a more aggressive U.S. foreign policy, has died after a "brief and sudden illness," his office said. He was 71.
The statement posted on social media early Sunday said his family "appreciates prayers at this time and asks for privacy during this incredibly difficult period." It did not provide any additional details about the circumstances surrounding the Saturday night death of the prominent South Carolina Republican, a former Air Force lawyer who served in Congress for three decades.
Trump, who talked to Graham frequently, said he was "like a member of the family. It's very tough." He said on NBC's "Meet the Press" that Graham had called him on Saturday night after returning from a trip to Ukraine and "sounded a little bit tired, but perfect." The president ordered that flags across the country be flown at half-staff until Saturday evening.
READ MORE: Republicans try to extend winning streak in South Carolina as Graham seeks fifth term
A noted hawk, Graham was one of the most influential figures in Washington on foreign affairs and he advised Trump on matters such as the Iran war and Russia. On Friday, Graham had announced an agreement with the Trump administration to move forward on a package of Russia sanctions.
As chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, Graham also had a central role during Trump's second term as Republicans pushed major legislation on party-line votes while holding a narrow 53-47 majority in the chamber.
Under South Carolina law, Republican Gov. Henry McMaster will appoint a temporary replacement for Graham, who was seeking a fifth term in November. A new nominee will be selected in a special primary, which is required to be held within weeks of a vacancy. The winner of November's general election will start a full six-year term in January.
Graham had a close, complicated relationship with Trump
Graham, elected to the Senate in 2002 after serving in the House, long promoted a policy of robust U.S. military interventionism and strong national defense that in later years would put him at odds with the growing isolationist wing of his party.
Over time, Graham became well-known for his close ties with Trump, whom the senator briefly ran against for the presidential nomination in 2016.
Their relationship would begin on a rough note, with Graham calling the then-New York businessman "unfit for office." Graham used a profanity to describe Trump after Trump made disparaging comments about Arizona Republican John McCain, Graham's best friend in the Senate and a Vietnam War veteran. McCain and Graham, along with Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., were known as the "Three Amigos" and frequently traveled together to promote their foreign policy views around the globe.
During a campaign rally in South Carolina, Trump read out Graham's personal cellphone number and continued to belittle him throughout the 2016 race as Graham made it clear he would not support Trump.
READ MORE: Project 2025 author Paul Dans drops primary challenge to Lindsey Graham in South Carolina
Graham, however, shifted significantly once Trump won the White House and emerged as one of Trump's top allies — speaking with him frequently and becoming a regular presence on the golf course alongside the president — even as McCain remained a critic.
In a 2018 interview with The Associated Press, Graham explained his pivot by saying McCain taught him that the country must move forward after elections and that meant "you have an obligation" to help the president. McCain ran twice for the White House.
"And I've tried to be helpful where I could because I think he needs all the help he can get," Graham said of Trump. "You can be a better critic when people understand that you're trying to help them be successful."
Graham was a prominent defender of Trump during the president's two first-term impeachments — a reversal from...