U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham, a Republican from South Carolina, during a Senate Appropriations Committee subcommittee hearing on the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., on May 12, 2026. (Credit: Jim Watson/AFP)
U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, a key ally of President Donald Trump, died Saturday at age 71 following a "brief and sudden illness," his office said.
Graham, known for his foreign policy work, was a staunch supporter of the war on Iran and in recent years urged both the Trump and Biden administrations to back Ukraine's fight against Russia's invasion.
"On the evening of Saturday, July 11, U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham passed away from a brief and sudden illness," the Republican senator from South Carolina's office said in a statement posted on his official X account.
Trump paid tribute to the influential senator Sunday, calling him "one of the greatest people" in a post on Truth Social.
"Senator Lindsey Graham, one of the greatest people and Senators I have ever known, is dead! He was always working, and was a true American Patriot. Lindsey will be greatly missed!!!"
Graham made an unsuccessful bid for the presidency in 2016, warning at the time that Republicans should not back Trump because he was a "race-baiting, xenophobic, religious bigot."
Their relationship was strained after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, with Graham saying his Republican colleagues should "count me out, enough is enough," although he later voted against convicting Trump in his impeachment trial.
Graham reconciled with Trump after he returned to office and supported his reelection bid.
Graham 'a great friend of Israel'
Graham was also a staunch supporter of Israel and backer of the war with Iran.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, "Lindsey is 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," Netanyahu said in a statement released by his office.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog said the news left him "shocked and heartbroken."
South Carolina governor describes Graham as 'irreplaceable'
Graham was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1994 before winning election to the Senate in 2002.
He was reelected in 2008, 2014 and 2020, and most recently served as chairman of the Senate Budget Committee.
South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster described Graham as "irreplaceable."
"The fiercest of fighters for South Carolina and America — and a loyal and steadfast friend," McMaster wrote on X.
Graham served as a military lawyer and attained the rank of Air Force colonel, an experience that informed his interventionist foreign policy views.
In 2002, he voted in favor of military action against Iraq following the Sept. 11 attacks and later supported a long-term U.S. presence in Afghanistan.
Graham was a frequent critic of President Barack Obama's foreign policy, calling him a "weak opponent of evil" in 2015 over his negotiation of a nuclear deal with Iran.
Graham met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv as recently as Friday, where he reportedly supported tougher economic sanctions on Russia and its allies.
Zelensky wrote on X that he appreciated Graham's support, adding that it was the senator's 10th visit to Ukraine.
