President Donald Trump on Sunday led a wave of tributes to Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who died unexpectedly the previous evening at age 71 after a sudden illness. In a post on Truth Social, Trump described the longtime ally as “a true American Patriot” and one of the greatest senators he had ever known.
“Senator Lindsey Graham, one of the greatest people and Senators I have ever known, is dead!” Trump wrote. “He was always working, and was a true American Patriot. Lindsey will be greatly missed!!! DETAILS AND ARRANGEMENTS TO FOLLOW. So sad!”
Graham’s office confirmed that the senator passed away on Saturday evening following what they termed a “brief and sudden illness.” The South Carolina Republican had been a fixture in Washington for decades, serving as a key voice on defense, foreign policy, and budget issues. He was in the midst of seeking a fifth term in the Senate and chaired the Budget Committee, while also sitting on the Judiciary, Appropriations, and Environment and Public Works panels.
The relationship between Trump and Graham was not always warm. During the 2016 Republican primary, Graham was a vocal critic of Trump, warning in a May 2016 tweet that if Trump became the nominee, Republicans “will get destroyed…….and we will deserve it.” That tweet, on what was then Twitter, marked a low point before the two eventually forged a close alliance. Graham later became one of Trump’s most steadfast defenders on cable news, particularly championing the administration’s hardline stance toward Venezuela, Iran, and Cuba.
Graham was scheduled to appear on NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday morning, having just returned from a trip to Ukraine. Host Kristen Welker noted on X that the appearance would have been his 64th on the show. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also paid tribute, highlighting Graham’s frequent visits to the war-torn country. “He visited Ukraine ten times during the years of Russia’s full-scale invasion and was here with our people when it was most needed,” Zelensky wrote in a statement. “We remained in constant dialogue, and I will miss our conversations. We met twice in just the past week.”
Zelensky credited Graham with advancing “important initiatives that could help bring peace closer, including stronger sanctions against Russia.” He added, “America and the world have lost a determined leader.” The senator’s death comes as Trump continues to dominate the political landscape, with the former president facing scrutiny over unfulfilled promises and a series of escalating international tensions. Graham’s absence will be felt particularly on defense and foreign policy, where his hawkish voice was a constant in GOP circles.
For more on the senator’s life and legacy, see our full obituary: Senator Lindsey Graham Dies at 71 After Brief Illness; Trump Leads Tributes.
