US Senator Lindsey Graham Dies After Brief Illness
US Republican Senator Lindsey Graham has passed away following a brief and sudden illness. His office released a statement confirming his death on Saturday evening and requested privacy for the family during this difficult time.
Graham, elected to the Senate in 2002, was a prominent South Carolina politician known as one of Washington's most influential voices on foreign policy and a key ally of former President Donald Trump.
Recent Visit to Ukraine
He had just returned from Kyiv, where he met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday. There were no known health concerns prior to his trip.
In a social media post marking Graham's death, US President Donald Trump described him as a
"true American Patriot".
Political Career and Foreign Policy
Graham also served as Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee. He was a strong advocate for US support of Ukraine. During his most recent visit to the country, he was working on a version of the Russia sanctions bill, which he stated would provide
"tools to President Trump to end this war."
In 2023, Graham told the BBC:
"Putin will not stop in Ukraine."
"To be weak in Ukraine means that you lose in Taiwan,"
Throughout his career, Graham was known for his firm stance on national security and foreign policy.
Relationship with Donald Trump
Graham's relationship with President Trump was complex. After the US Capitol riots in 2021, Graham delivered a speech on the Senate floor, stating:
"Trump and I, we've had a hell of a journey. I hate it to end this way."
"All I can say is a count me out. Enough is enough."
Despite this, he later became one of Trump's staunchest supporters and backed him in the 2024 election.
In 2023, Graham told the BBC:
"There is a dark side to Donald Trump... and he was a very good president. But I am sticking with him because I saw what he did,"
citing Trump's policies on the US southern border, the killing of Iran's Qasem Soleimani, and the appointment of conservative judges.
Positions on National Security and Foreign Affairs
Graham's official website noted that he
"consistently pushed for outcomes in the War on Terror that protect our long-term national security interests."
He opposed the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan in 2021, describing it as a
"sad and dangerous event for US national security...Jihadists all over the world are celebrating. America will be seen as weak."
Support for Israel
Graham was a strong supporter of Israel. Israel's President Benjamin Netanyahu paid tribute to him, stating:
"Lindsey understood that the security of Israel and America are inseparable."
Netanyahu added that Israel lost
"one of its greatest friends."
- Russia seeks arrest of Lindsey Graham over video
- "Complete, utter disaster" - Lindsey Graham reacts to Zelensky meeting
