Washington — Messages of condolence began arriving early Sunday from world leaders and U.S. political figures following the death of Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, who died after what his office described as a “brief and sudden illness” Saturday.
Graham, 71, was serving his fourth term in the Senate and was widely known as one of the chamber’s most forceful voices on foreign policy. His office said he died Saturday evening, though additional details were not immediately released.
The sudden announcement stunned lawmakers in Washington and drew reaction from allies and officials around the world.
President Trump remembered Graham as “one of the greatest people and senators I have ever known.”
“He was always working, and was a true American Patriot. Lindsey will be greatly missed!!!” the president wrote in a post on Truth Social, saying further information about arrangements would be announced later.
Speaking Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Trump said he had spoken with Graham on Saturday evening in what “could have been his last call.” The president said Graham, who had recently returned from a visit to Ukraine, appeared fatigued but “sounded great, actually.”
“He was like a member of the family to me,” Mr. Trump said, describing Graham as “such an advocate.”
Senate Majority Leader John Thune said “my heart is heavy this morning to learn of the passing of my friend and colleague.”
“Lindsey’s long and dedicated service in the Air Force and in Congress carried him to far-flung regions of the world,” the Republican leader said in a post on X. “He was a strong advocate for the United States and a strong ally to freedom-loving countries across the globe. He believed in the might of America to achieve good in the world and dedicated his life to advancing that cause.”
Thune, a South Dakota Republican, said Graham “fought passionately for the Palmetto State,” adding that his “influence on the federal judiciary, our national defense, and his beloved South Carolina will be felt for generations.”
The majority leader called Graham a “trusted adviser and colleague to me and many others, and numerous presidents and heads of state have relied on his counsel.”
Graham’s relationships with world leaders were on display Sunday as they paid tribute to his work and friendship.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who met with Graham days ago in Kyiv, called the South Carolina Republican “a true defender of freedom and the values that make our world safer,” adding that “America and the world have lost a determined leader.”
“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,” Zelenskyy said. “We remained in constant dialogue, and I will miss our conversations. We met twice in just the past week.”
While in Kyiv, Graham announced that lawmakers had reached an agreement with the White House on a Russian sanctions bill the president would support, perhaps Graham’s final major achievement.
Graham was also a backer of the U.S.-Israel alliance and favored a hardline stance toward Iran. Early Sunday, Netanyahu called Graham a “great friend of Israel and a cherished friend of mine.”
“Lindsey understood that the security of Israel and America are inseparable. He devoted his life to defending America, strengthening our alliance and standing up for the free world,” Netayahu said in a post on X. “Israel has lost one of its greatest friends. America has lost a great patriot. I have lost a beloved friend.”
In a Sunday morning interview on Fox News, Netanyahu said he valued Graham’s “candor” and “honesty.”
“There was no BS. He just was so direct. And if he wanted to tell you something that you may not like, he would just do it,” the Israeli prime minister said.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog called Graham a “great American patriot” and a “true friend of Israel” on X.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said he is “so sad to learn of the sudden passing of my friend Lindsey Graham.”
“He was a powerful advocate for America who believed strongly in the NATO Alliance and was actively working to bring an end to Russia’s war against Ukraine,” Rutte wrote. “My thoughts are with his family, friends, and terrific team. I will miss him dearly.”
U.N. Ambassador Mike Waltz said he first met Graham “not as Senator, but as Colonel Graham in the Air National Guard. He insisted on spending his 3 weeks annual training in Afghanistan training Afghan Army JAG officers.”
“From Libya to Lebanon, no member of Congress traveled more to appreciate both the troops and bring ground truth back to legislating,” Waltz said. “Most of all, he talked about helping the people of South Carolina and that our freedoms must be defended by projecting strength. Rest easy, Patriot.”
Back in South Carolina, leaders also paid tribute to Graham. South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster said “Lindsey Graham is irreplaceable.”
“The fiercest of fighters for South Carolina and America — and a loyal and steadfast friend,” McMaster said. “We grieve with Darline, his family and his devoted staff. May God hold him gently in the palm of his hand. We shall not see his likes again.”
Republican Sen. Tim Scott, Graham’s counterpart in the Senate, said “South Carolina lost a statesman and I’ve lost a friend.”
“From his humble beginnings to the Senate floor, Lindsey always led with faith, family, and South Carolina first,” Scott said in a post on X. “Lindsey remained committed to public service and doing what he loved. He always introduced levity and brought wit to the most challenging moments. Lindsey will be missed.”
Other members of the South Carolina congressional delegation remembered Graham and his long history in Congress. Rep. Joe Wilson said Graham “will always be cherished as an American Patriot,” while Rep. Ralph Norman called him “a son of South Carolina who loved our state dearly.” Rep. Russell Fry said the “unexpected loss of Senator Lindsey Graham is difficult to comprehend,” calling Graham “an extraordinary public servant” and a “consequential leader.”
“His legacy will be measured not only by history’s biggest moments, but by the countless lives he touched one person, one family, and one community at a time,” Fry said. “South Carolina is better because he served.”
Tributes to Graham also came from across the aisle, as Democratic senators remembered the South Carolina Republican as a friend and noted his bipartisan work. Democratic Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia said he “was heartbroken to learn of the sudden passing of my friend and colleague,” adding that “Lindsey and I disagreed on plenty over the years, but I never doubted his love for this country or his commitment to serving it.”
Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, the Senate’s No. 2 Democrat, recalled being with Graham just last week at the NATO Summit in Turkey, where he said the South Carolina Republican was “working every Senator on a strategy to end the war in Ukraine.”
“Lindsey was part of every important policy issue and an indispensable player in every Senate ‘gang,'” Durbin said. “He was a fierce Republican partisan one day and a key bipartisan ally the next.”
Nikole Killion
contributed to this report.
