Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who was elected to the Senate in 2003 and was a close political ally of President Donald Trump’s, has died, his office confirmed. He was 71.
Graham died Saturday night “from a brief and sudden illness,” his office said in a statement. Emergency personnel had responded to a call for “cardiac arrest” at his Capitol Hill home, according to police scanner audio obtained by NBC News.
Lindsey Graham’s preliminary cause of death was an aortic rupture due to a hardening of the arteries, his office said, citing a medical examiner.
The president led tributes Sunday to “one of the greatest people and Senators I have ever known,” describing Graham as a “true American Patriot.”
Trump later told NBC News’ “Meet the Press” that he spoke with Graham on Saturday night, hours before the senator died, adding that “other than being tired, he was fine.”
At the White House, flags were lowered to half-staff. In a later post on Truth Social, Trump ordered that all American flags must fly at half-staff until Saturday at 6 p.m.
Graham’s legacy includes hawkish policies and bipartisan charm
The prominent Republican was chairman of the Senate Budget Committee and was seeking a fifth term in November. He was one of the most well-known members of the chamber and a key voice within the party on defense and foreign policy.
In recent years, he pressed both the Trump and Biden administrations to back Ukraine’s fight against Russia’s invasion, and pressed the Trump administration for a hawkish stance on Iran. Graham had just returned from Kyiv, where he met with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
“Lindsey was a true defender of freedom and of the values that make our world safer,” Zelenskyy said in a statement, noting that Graham had visited Ukraine 10 times during the war.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told “Meet the Press” moderator Kristen Welker: “America has lost a great patriot. Israel has lost one of the great champions of the American-Israeli alliance. And frankly, I’ve lost a beloved friend who I’ve had for many decades.”
Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., described Graham as “larger than life.”
“I think we’re all trying to wrap our heads around this giant loss,” Schiff said on “Meet the Press.” “He was one of those figures that was really larger than life, that was so filled with energy that it’s hard to imagine him gone.”
“You have folks in political life who can disagree and not be disagreeable about it, who can have sharp debates with you,” Schiff added. “But he had ... a wonderful sense of humor that he used to cut through the tension.”
Republicans scramble to find a replacement ahead of the midterms
Hours after Graham’s death, Trump said Sunday that he had a preferred replacement in mind but declined to share a name out of respect for the South Carolina senator.
Per South Carolina law, GOP Gov. Henry McMaster must appoint someone to take over Graham’s post until early January.
The law also dictates the process for an election to permanently replace Graham. A special Republican primary election will be held Aug. 11, and candidates can file to run for the seat beginning July 21.
Notable quote
The fiercest of fighters for South Carolina and America — and a loyal and steadfast friend.
South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster on Sen. Lindsey Graham
Allies and rivals alike praised Graham for his bipartisan charm and his more than three decades of public service.
U.S. says Strait of Hormuz is open despite Iran’s declaring it closed as strikes continue
The United States launched yet another round of strikes on Iran on Sunday.
The goal of the attacks is to curb Iran’s ability to target commercial shipping in the strait at a time when the U.S. has declared it open for business and Iran has said it’s closed.
Trump directed the strikes, as he did those launched Saturday, “to hold Iranian forces accountable,” CENTCOM said.
The Saturday strikes launched by the U.S. against Iran were retaliation for its attack on a Cyprus-flagged container ship in the waterway, CENTCOM said.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which threatened “a forceful response” to any strikes over the matter, said it hit military targets in Jordan, Kuwait and Qatar in retaliation.
Politics in brief
- Health update: Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said Sunday in his first public statement since being hospitalized nearly a month ago that he was “briefly unconscious” after suffering a fall.
- Hostile welcome: Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., said he was detained by Israeli settlers armed with U.S.-made rifles during a West Bank visit last week.
England and Argentina advance to the World Cup semifinals — but not without more VAR controversy
Argentina and England punched their tickets to the World Cup semifinal round, but both teams’ matches featured refereeing decisions that were hotly contested.
Midfielder Jude Bellingham scored both goals in England’s 2-1 victory over Norway in extra time. The Nordic nation had a goal disallowed after a video assistant referee (VAR) review showed a foul by Erling Haaland, but there was no review when the Three Lions scored moments after the ball appeared to hit a camera wire. FIFA said there was “no evidence” the ball hit the wire.
In the second match of the day, Argentina defeated Switzerland 3-1. The Swiss put up a fierce battle that also ended in extra time despite the team playing down a man when forward Breel Embolo was given a red card in the second half after a VAR review.
“I just don’t understand how VAR can make that kind of decision,” teammate Nico Elvedi said.
More World Cup news:
- Jayden Adams dies: The South African midfielder, who featured in all three of his team’s group stage games, died at 25.
- Kicking grass: Want a piece of the turf from this year’s final? FIFA is selling portions of the grass for $450 each.
Jannik Sinner defends his Wimbledon title, beating Alexander Zverev in four sets
The top-ranked Jannik Sinner beat Alexander Zverev 6-7 (7), 7-6 (2), 6-3, 6-4 on Sunday for his second consecutive title at the All England Club after his German opponent appeared bothered by a knee issue following a slip to the grass on a key point in the third set.
Sinner’s fifth Grand Slam title came in his first tournament since a second-round meltdown at the French Open, when he wilted in a Paris heat wave.
It was Sinner’s 10th straight victory over Zverev, who was coming off his first Grand Slam title at the French Open.
Linda Nosková overcomes second-set stumble for her first Grand Slam title
Linda Nosková recovered from a second-set meltdown in which she wasted five match points to overcome Karolína Muchová 6-2, 5-7, 6-3 in an all-Czech final Saturday for her first Grand Slam trophy.
Nosková became the third Czech woman in four years to win the grass-court major, after Markéta Vondroušová in 2023 and Barbora Krejčíková in 2024.
In case you missed it
- Two people were killed and six others were injured when a pair of gunmen opened fire at a festival celebrating Latino culture in Toronto, police said.
- A boat returning from an island trip in southern Vietnam capsized Saturday, killing 15 Indian tourists less than half a kilometer (about three-tenths of a mile) from shore.
- Conor McGregor’s return against Max Holloway at UFC 329 ended unceremoniously at just 1:09 into the first round Saturday night because of a knee injury.
- A huge fire engulfed a pub in Bangkok, killing at least 27 people before firefighters brought the blaze under control, officials said.
