GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham dies at 71 after ‘short and sudden illness,’ office says
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Sen. Lindsey Graham, RS.C., died on Saturday evening following a “short and sudden” illness, according to a statement from his office. He was 71 years old.
“On Saturday night, July 11, United States Senator Lindsey Graham passed away after a brief and sudden illness,” her office said.
“Senator Graham’s family appreciates prayers at this time and requests privacy during this incredibly difficult time,” it continued.
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Sen. Lindsey Graham, RS.C., died Saturday at the age of 71 following a “short and sudden” illness, ending 23 years of service in the US Senate and more than three decades in politics. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
President Donald Trump reacted to Graham’s death, calling the longtime South Carolina senator “a true American Patriot.”
“Senator Lindsey Graham, one of the greatest people and Senators I have ever known, is dead!” Trump posted on Truth Social. “She was always active, and was a true American Patriot. Lindsey will be greatly missed!!! DETAILS AND ARRANGEMENTS TO FOLLOW. So sad!”
South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster released a statement early Sunday expressing his “devastation” at the news of Graham’s passing.
“Peggy and I – and our children – are devastated,” he said in a statement. “Lindsey Graham is irreplaceable. The fiercest fighter in South Carolina and America – and a loyal and strong friend. Our hearts go out to Darline, her family and her support staff. May God hold her gently in the palm of his hand. We will never see her loved ones again.”
Graham was elected to the US Senate in 2002 and won re-election three times. He was seeking a fifth term in the Senate after winning the Republican primary last month.
Graham served as chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee and sat on the Appropriations, Judiciary, and Environment and Public Works committees.
Before joining the Senate, Graham was elected to the US House of Representatives in 1994, becoming the first Republican to represent South Carolina’s 3rd District since 1877.
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Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) speaks during a confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee at the Dirksen Senate Office Building on July 15, 2025, in Washington, DC. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
Senate Majority Leader John Thune said Graham is a consistent advocate for the United States and its allies, adding that his impact on federal judges, the defense of the country and his home state of South Carolina “will be felt for generations.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel had “lost one of its best friends” in Graham’s death, calling the senator “Israel’s best friend and my dearest friend.”
“Lindsey understood that the security of Israel and America are inseparable,” Netanyahu said. “Israel has lost one of its best friends. America has lost a patriot. I have lost a dear friend.”
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomes US Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) before their meeting, during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine on July 10, 2026. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Handout via REUTERS)
Graham, a frequent visitor to Ukraine, recently met with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv on Friday. He was scheduled to appear on NBC News’ “Meet the Press” Sunday morning.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog mourned Graham’s death, calling the South Carolina senator “a great patriot of America” and “a great friend of Israel.”
“Senator Graham has been a beacon of decency and a true leader of US-Israel relations,” he said in a statement. “We will never forget that he stood before the people of Israel in the most difficult times, and we will forever be grateful for his sense of justice, truth, and honesty.
“The people of Israel mourn his loss, and I will miss my best friend very much,” he added.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz remembered Graham as “an unwavering voice in support of Israel’s security and its right to defend itself.” He noted that Graham visited Israel repeatedly after the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas, calling him “an exceptional leader, a man of principles, and a dear friend whose legacy will last for generations.”
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A longtime politician, he served as a member of the United States Congress from South Carolina since 2003. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
Graham served 33 years in the US Air Force, Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve, retiring as a colonel in 2015. An Air Force veteran, who served in Germany during the Cold War, was called to active duty during the Gulf War, and later completed several Reserve deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan during the Congressional recess.
Graham’s office confirmed his death in a statement to Fox News Digital.
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