Veteran Republican Senator Lindsey Graham has died at the age of 71 following what his office described as a “brief and sudden illness”. The South Carolina senator died on Saturday evening, 11 July, according to an official statement released by his office. No further details about the cause of death have been disclosed, and his family has requested privacy.
Long-serving Republican senator
Graham represented South Carolina in the U.S. Senate from 2003, following eight years in the U.S. House of Representatives. During more than three decades in Congress, he became one of the Republican Party’s most influential voices on defence and foreign affairs. Although he was a vocal critic of Donald Trump during the 2016 Republican presidential primaries, Graham later became one of the former president’s closest political allies, frequently advising him on national security and foreign policy.
Foreign policy hawk
Throughout his Senate career, Graham was widely recognised for advocating an interventionist U.S. foreign policy and was a strong supporter of military assistance to allies. He was an outspoken supporter of Israel and consistently backed robust U.S. military aid, while also taking hardline positions on Iran, Russia and other international security issues. His comments on conflicts in the Middle East frequently drew criticism from human rights organisations and political opponents, while supporters praised his uncompromising stance on national security.
Tributes paid
Tributes have been paid from across the political spectrum following news of his death. President Donald Trump described Graham as “a true American patriot”, while South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster called him “irreplaceable” and praised his decades of public service. Graham had recently returned from an overseas visit and was campaigning for another term in the Senate before his death. Under South Carolina law, Governor McMaster is expected to appoint an interim replacement until a successor is elected.
