GOP senator reveals Lindsey Graham complained of ‘chest pains’ during final call before death
WASHINGTON, DC: New details about Senator Lindsey Graham’s final hours have emerged after Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville revealed that the longtime lawmaker made a desperate phone call seeking help shortly before his sudden death.
Graham, one of President Donald Trump’s closest allies in the Senate, died on Saturday night, July 11, after what his office described as a brief and sudden illness.
Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) says his former staffer called 911 on behalf of Sen. Lindsey Graham after Graham said he was experiencing chest pains.
— CBS News (@CBSNews) July 13, 2026
“By the time she got there, 911 had knocked the door down,” Tuberville said. “They were working on him.” pic.twitter.com/1qZqn5obDh
Lindsey Graham reportedly called staffer after experiencing chest pains
According to Tuberville, Graham reached out to his scheduler on Saturday night after initially brushing aside concerns about his health.
"Lindsey called, called basically, said, 'Listen, I'm having chest pains. You know, I need to do something,'" Tuberville told reporters.
The scheduler reportedly asked Graham whether he had called 911. His response was simple and alarming.
"'No, that's the reason I called you,'" Graham reportedly said.
Tuberville added that by the time the staffer arrived, emergency responders had already forced their way into the senator's home and were attempting to save his life.
"'By the time she got there, 911 had knocked the door down, and they were working on him,'" Tuberville recalled.
Donald Trump reveals final conversation with Lindsey Graham
Just hours before his death, Graham also spoke with President Donald Trump.
The pair discussed Graham’s recent trip to Ukraine as well as legislative priorities in Washington.
Trump later recalled that Graham sounded exhausted after returning from his travels.
"'I'm doing good but I'm tired,'" Trump said Graham told him during their conversation.
Speaking on NBC's Meet the Press, Trump described Graham as being "like a member of the family" and revealed that the senator was focused on advancing the SAVE America Act.
"'He actually said he was tired, but he wanted to pass the SAVE America Act, and I said, 'Well, we're going to get it done, Lindsey. We're going to get it done. I'll see you, like, soon,'" Trump said.
Lindsey Graham remained focused on policy despite feeling unwell
Another person who reportedly spoke with Graham earlier that day said the senator admitted he was not feeling well but planned to seek medical attention after a scheduled television appearance the following morning.
Even then, Graham appeared determined to keep working.
According to the account, he joked, "'I can't die now. I still need to do the Russian sanctions, get Iran sorted out and do Israeli-Saudi normalization.'"
The comment reflected the issues that had long defined Graham's public career.
During the previous week, he had traveled to Ukraine, met with President Volodymyr Zelensky and participated in discussions related to international security.
Tributes pour in as Senate honors Lindsey Graham
Authorities received a 911 call reporting a cardiac emergency at Graham's home around 8:30 pm Saturday.
First responders rushed to the scene and began life-saving efforts, but the senator later died.
His office announced early Sunday that he had "passed away from a brief and sudden illness."
Officials later said the cause of death was aortic dissection due to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
As lawmakers returned to Washington, Graham's Senate desk was draped in black cloth and adorned with white roses.
Flags at the White House were lowered to half-staff in his honor.
Graham leaves behind a decades-long political legacy as one of the Senate's most influential Republican voices and one of Trump's most trusted allies on foreign policy and national security issues.
His seat will temporarily be filled by his sister, Darline Graham Nordone, while South Carolina prepares for a special election to determine his long-term successor.