GoKawiilWASHINGTON — Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who was elected to the Senate in 2003 and was a close political ally of President Donald Trump, has died, his office confirmed early Sunday. He was 71.
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Graham died Saturday night “from a brief and sudden illness,” his office said in a statement.
“Senator Graham’s family appreciates prayers at this time and asks for privacy during this incredibly difficult period,” the statement said.
President Donald Trump led tributes Sunday to “one of the greatest people and Senators I have ever known,” describing Graham as a “true American Patriot” in a Truth Social post.
Graham was chairman of the Senate Budget Committee and was seeking a fifth six-year Senate 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.
U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., questions Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine during a committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on May 12, 2026. Jim Watson / AFP via Getty Images
Emergency personnel responded to a call for “cardiac arrest” at Graham’s Capitol Hill home on Saturday night, according to police scanner audio obtained by NBC News.
Photographs from the scene reviewed by NBC News show paramedics carrying a person on a stretcher from Graham’s home to an awaiting ambulance. Police cars and fire trucks were also on site.
A top staffer to Graham told NBC News early Sunday that there was no indication the lawmaker was feeling unwell prior to his death. He had been scheduled to appear on NBC News’ “Meet the Press” on Sunday.
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