Lindsey Graham dies at 71: Trump ally and South Carolina senator passes away after 'brief illness'
PROVO, UTAH: Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, one of President Donald Trump's closest allies in Congress and a leading voice on US foreign policy, has died at the age of 71 after what his office described as a "brief and sudden illness."
The South Carolina lawmaker's office confirmed his death in a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday, July 11, asking for privacy as his family mourns.
Statement from the Office of U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina). pic.twitter.com/CQ5yVvqTH1
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) July 12, 2026
"Senator Graham's family appreciates prayers at this time and asks for privacy during this incredibly difficult period," the statement said.
The announcement came just days after Graham traveled to Kyiv, Ukraine, where he met President Volodymyr Zelensky and discussed possible pathways to ending the Russia-Ukraine war.
A longtime Trump ally and influential Republican senator
Graham served as South Carolina's senior US senator since first being elected in 2002, winning reelection in 2008, 2014 and 2020.
Over more than two decades in the Senate, he became one of the Republican Party's most influential lawmakers, particularly on national security, defense and foreign affairs. Although he was once a vocal critic of Trump during the 2016 Republican presidential primary, Graham later became one of Trump's closest allies and most trusted advisors.
Before entering the Senate, Graham represented South Carolina's 3rd Congressional District in the House of Representatives after being elected in 1994.
Military service before politics
He also served for more than three decades in the US Air Force and Air Force Reserve, retiring in 2015 with the rank of colonel after 33 years of military service.
Born in Central, South Carolina, Graham was the first member of his family to earn a college degree. His parents operated a local restaurant and pool hall, according to his official Senate biography.
The cause of the "brief and sudden illness" was not disclosed. Further details regarding funeral arrangements have not yet been announced.
