US Senator Lindsey Graham has died after a brief and sudden illness.
His office confirmed that the 76‑year‑old senator died on Saturday evening. They added: "Senator Graham's family appreciates prayers at this time and asks for privacy during this incredibly difficult period."
Graham, elected to the Senate in 2002, was one of Washington’s most influential voices on foreign policy and a key ally of former President Trump, while also serving as Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee.
He had just returned from Kyiv, where he met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky the day before his death. No health concerns were reported prior to the trip.
In a social‑media tribute, Donald Trump called Graham a "true American Patriot". The senator was a strong proponent of U.S. support for Ukraine, famously warning that "Putin will not stop in Ukraine" and linking a weak stance on Ukraine to strategic losses elsewhere.
Graham had clashed with Trump in the past, but ultimately became one of his staunchest backers, citing Trump’s actions on the U.S. southern border, Iran’s Qasem Soleimani, and conservative judicial appointments. His death marks the loss of a pivotal figure in GOP foreign policy.
