US Senator Lindsey Graham dies at 71 after sudden illness

WEB DESK: US Senator Lindsey Graham, a senior Republican lawmaker who transformed from one of Donald Trump’s fiercest critics into one of his closest allies in Congress, has died at the age of 71 following a sudden illness.

Graham’s office announced his death in a post on X on Sunday, stating that he passed away after a “brief and sudden illness.” According to NBC News, emergency responders were called to his Capitol Hill residence on Saturday night after receiving reports of cardiac arrest.

US President Donald Trump led tributes, describing Graham as “one of the greatest people and Senators I have ever known.”

“He was always working, and was a true American Patriot. Lindsey will be greatly missed,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Before Trump’s election in 2016, Graham was among his most vocal Republican critics and frequently challenged his political positions. However, the two later developed a close working relationship, with Graham becoming one of Trump’s strongest supporters in the Senate.

Despite their alliance, Graham publicly opposed Trump’s decision to pardon around 1,500 people convicted over the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol, warning that the move could encourage future political violence.

Known for his strong support of the US military, Graham consistently backed Israel and Ukraine while maintaining a hardline stance against Iran.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz expressed condolences, saying Graham had “stood with Israel at its most difficult moments.”

Only days before his death, Graham visited Kyiv, where he met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to discuss Ukraine’s air defence requirements and proposed sanctions against Russia.

During the visit, Graham said China could play a decisive role in persuading Russia to engage in peace negotiations.

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“The road to ending this war, the road to peace, passes through Beijing more than it does Washington, Kyiv, or Moscow,” he told reporters.

Graham was first elected to the US Senate in 2002 after serving in the US House of Representatives since 1995, representing South Carolina’s 3rd Congressional District.

At the time of his death, he was serving as chairman of the Senate Budget Committee and was also a member of the Senate Appropriations, Judiciary, and Environment and Public Works committees.

He is survived by extended family members and was unmarried. Graham lived in Seneca, South Carolina.