Lindsey Graham dies at 71 after sudden illness, leaving Senate seat vacant

Washington,UPDATED: Jul 12, 2026 20:20 IST

US Senator Lindsey Graham, one of President Donald Trump's closest allies in Congress and a leading voice on foreign policy, has died at the age of 71 after a "brief and sudden illness", his office said. The South Carolina Republican had served in Congress for three decades and was seeking a fifth Senate term in November.

His office said in a statement posted on social media early Sunday that his family "appreciates prayers at this time and asks for privacy during this incredibly difficult period". No further details were given about the circumstances of his death on Saturday night. Trump said Graham was "like a member of the family. It's very tough." He also told 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".

Graham was widely seen as one of the most influential figures in Washington on foreign affairs. He often argued for a more forceful US role overseas and advised Trump on issues including Iran and Russia. On Friday, he had announced an agreement with the Trump administration to move forward on a package of sanctions on Russia. As chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, he also played a central role during Trump's second term as Republicans pushed major legislation through the chamber while holding a narrow 53-47 majority.

Under South Carolina law, Governor Henry McMaster will appoint a temporary replacement. Graham, who was first elected to the Senate in 2002 after serving in the House of Representatives, had long supported strong military intervention and national defence. In later years, that often put him at odds with the growing isolationist wing of the Republican Party.

He was also known for his close relationship with Trump, though the two began as rivals in the 2016 Republican presidential race. Graham had called Trump "unfit for office" and used a profanity to describe him after Trump made disparaging remarks about Arizona Republican John McCain, Graham's closest friend in the Senate and a Vietnam War veteran. McCain, Graham and independent senator Joe Lieberman were known as the "Three Amigos" and often travelled together to promote their foreign policy views. During a campaign rally in South Carolina, Trump read out Graham's personal mobile phone number and continued to mock him during the race.

That relationship changed after Trump entered the White House. Graham became one of the president's top allies, spoke with him frequently and was often seen with him on the golf course, even as McCain remained critical of Trump. In a 2018 interview with The Associated Press, Graham said McCain had taught him that the country must move forward after elections and that meant "you have an obligation" to help the president. "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 went on to become a prominent defender of Trump during both impeachment proceedings, in a striking reversal from his role as a House prosecutor during Democratic President Bill Clinton's impeachment in 1998. Both Clinton and Trump were acquitted. After the January 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, Graham appeared to distance himself from Trump, saying on the Senate floor that night, "Count me out. Enough is enough." He later returned to Trump's side and the two remained close during Trump's second term.

Foreign policy remained at the centre of Graham's public life. He had just returned from Ukraine, where he met President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Zelenskyy said Graham had visited Ukraine 10 times since Russia's invasion in February 2022 and described him as "a true defender of freedom and the values that make our world safer". Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Graham believed the security of Israel and the United States was inseparable, adding: "Israel has lost one of its greatest friends. America has lost a great patriot. I have lost a beloved friend."

In the Senate, Graham led both the Budget and Judiciary committees. As Budget Committee chairman, he helped oversee the procedure that allowed Republicans to pass major measures, including last year's tax law, without the threat of a Democratic filibuster. As chairman of the Judiciary Committee, he presided over the confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court in 2020. He had said he wanted to confirm "as many conservative judges as possible" if Republicans retained their majority after the midterm elections. Graham was also a key member of the bipartisan group that drafted a sweeping immigration overhaul in 2013. The bill passed the Senate with 68 votes but was not taken up by the House. His support for a path to citizenship for people in the US without legal status put him at odds with some parts of his party.

Although he sometimes faced primary challenges in South Carolina, Graham won the Republican nomination outright in June with 57 per cent of the vote. In his victory speech last month, he addressed Trump and said, "I'm going to help you change this world and change this country." He was due to face Democrat Annie Andrews, a paediatrician, along with several minor-party and independent candidates in November. After McMaster appoints a replacement, state law requires a special primary within weeks of the vacancy, and the winner of the general election will take office in January for a full six-year term. Republican names being discussed as possible temporary replacements included Representatives Nancy Mace and Russell Fry.

Colleagues from both parties said Graham's influence extended beyond formal roles. Wyoming Senator John Barrasso said he would be missed for his "quick wit and infectious laughter", while McMaster called him "irreplaceable". Democratic Senator Mark Warner said that "personal relationships often mattered more to him than the political disagreements of the day". Graham often spoke about growing up in the back of a South Carolina bar and helping raise his sister after their parents died young. He was not married and did not have children. His closest living relative is his sister, Darline Graham Nordone. His office did not explain the circumstances of his death, which came amid concerns about transparency over the health of some members of Congress, including Representative Tom Kean Jr., who recently disclosed a diagnosis of depression after months away from Congress, and former Republican leader Mitch McConnell, who was hospitalised weeks ago for undisclosed health reasons. Graham's death closes the career of a senator who shaped Republican politics, foreign policy debates and Trump's Washington for years.

With PTI Inputs

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