U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham, a fixture of American politics and a prominent Republican voice from South Carolina, has died at the age of 71.
Graham passed away on Saturday evening following a brief and sudden illness, according to an official statement released by his office early Sunday morning.
“On the evening of Saturday, July 11, U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham passed away from a brief and sudden illness,” his communications director announced in a statement published on X (formerly Twitter). “Senator Graham’s family appreciates prayers at this time and asks for privacy during this incredibly difficult period.”
A retired Air Force Reserve colonel who specialized in military law, Graham was first elected to the Senate in 2003 after serving in the U.S. House of Representatives. Over more than two decades in the upper chamber, he built a reputation as a fierce hawk on foreign policy and military affairs, and later became one of the most outspoken and influential allies of Donald Trump on Capitol Hill.
He had remained highly active in foreign policy matters up until his passing, recently conducting high-profile diplomatic visits and vocalizing key positions on evolving international conflicts.
Tributes and reactions from colleagues on both sides of the aisle are beginning to pour in as Washington processes the sudden loss of one of its most senior legislative figures.
More details to follow as this story develops.
