The South Carolina Republican’s death ended a three-decade congressional career and triggered an expedited process to fill his Senate seat.
WASHINGTON — Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina died Saturday evening after suffering a tear in his aorta, according to a preliminary finding from the District of Columbia medical examiner shared by his office. He was 71.
Graham’s office initially announced Sunday that he had died after a “brief and sudden illness.” It later said the preliminary finding identified an aortic dissection related to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease. An aortic dissection occurs when the inner layer of the body’s main artery tears. Officials said a final cause of death would be released after toxicology and microscopic testing.
Graham died July 11, two days after his 71st birthday and shortly after returning from a trip to Ukraine. His death brought an abrupt end to a career that made him one of the Senate’s most recognized voices on national security, foreign policy and the federal courts. He served in Congress for more than 30 years and was seeking a fifth Senate term in the November election.
President Donald Trump, a close political ally who spoke with Graham often, ordered flags at federal buildings and military posts lowered to half-staff through the evening of July 18. Trump said Graham had called him Saturday after returning from Ukraine and had sounded tired but otherwise normal. Graham’s office asked for privacy for his family during what it called an incredibly difficult period.
Graham had remained active until shortly before his death. On July 10, he joined Democratic Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Jeanne Shaheen and Republican Sen. Roger Wicker in announcing an agreement with the Trump administration on legislation targeting countries that purchase Russian oil and natural gas. The proposal had been a major priority for Graham as he pressed for continued pressure on Moscow over its war in Ukraine.
Graham had also met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv during his final trip abroad. Zelenskyy said the senator had visited Ukraine 10 times since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022. Graham was a strong supporter of military aid to Ukraine and argued that confronting Russia served American security interests. He was also a prominent supporter of Israel and favored a forceful U.S. approach toward Iran.
His views placed him among the Senate’s most committed advocates of an active American role overseas. Graham often promoted military strength, international alliances and close ties with NATO. That approach sometimes put him at odds with members of his own party who favored less U.S. involvement abroad. Foreign leaders, lawmakers from both parties and former government officials issued statements praising his work after his death.
Graham’s relationship with Trump changed sharply over time. Graham challenged Trump for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination and called him unfit for office during that campaign. After Trump won, Graham became one of his most dependable allies in the Senate and a frequent adviser on foreign policy. He defended Trump during both of the president’s first-term impeachment trials, even though Graham had served as a House prosecutor during President Bill Clinton’s impeachment.
Graham first won election to the U.S. House in 1994 and gained national attention while helping present the impeachment case against Clinton. He was elected to the Senate in 2002, succeeding Strom Thurmond. Graham later chaired the Senate Judiciary Committee, where he helped advance Trump’s judicial nominees, including Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett. At the time of his death, he chaired the Senate Budget Committee.
Although Graham was known for partisan battles, he also joined bipartisan negotiations on immigration, national security and other major issues. He participated in a Senate group that produced an immigration overhaul in 2013. The measure passed the Senate but was never brought to a vote in the House. Democratic colleagues described him after his death as a forceful negotiator who maintained personal relationships across party lines.
Graham grew up in Central, South Carolina, where his parents operated a restaurant, bar and pool hall. After both parents died while he was a young adult, he helped raise his younger sister, Darline. He earned undergraduate and law degrees from the University of South Carolina and served as an Air Force lawyer before entering politics. He later served in the Air Force Reserve and South Carolina Air National Guard.
South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster appointed Darline Graham to serve the remaining months of her brother’s term. She was scheduled to be sworn in Tuesday, becoming South Carolina’s first female U.S. senator. A separate special primary is scheduled for Aug. 11 to choose a Republican nominee for the Nov. 3 general election, with an Aug. 25 runoff if no candidate receives a majority. The election winner will begin a full six-year term in January.
Author note: Last updated July 14, 2026.