US Senator Lindsey Graham dies aged 71 after aortic dissection

US Senator Lindsey Graham, one of President Donald Trump's closest allies in Congress and a leading Republican voice on foreign policy, has died aged 71.

A preliminary finding from the Washington, DC, medical examiner's office attributed his death to an aortic dissection due to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

Graham died on the evening of Saturday, 11 July 2026, at his Capitol Hill home. Emergency responders were dispatched around 8:30pm ET following reports of chest pains, and police scanner audio indicated cardiopulmonary resuscitation was administered at the scene before he was taken to hospital by ambulance.

Taylor Reidy, a communications director for Graham, confirmed the preliminary cause of death. An official cause will be determined following further toxicological and microscopic testing, the medical examiner's office said.

Aortic dissection is a tear in the inner layer of the aorta, the body's main artery. The condition is uncommon but occurs more frequently in men in their sixties and seventies, particularly where atherosclerosis, a build-up of fats and cholesterol on artery walls, is present. Its symptoms, including chest pain, shortness of breath and loss of consciousness, often resemble those of a heart attack.

Graham's death came hours after he returned to Washington from his tenth wartime visit to Ukraine, where he met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday and announced an agreement with the Trump administration on a new package of sanctions against Russia. He had been scheduled to appear on NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday to discuss the deal.

President Trump told reporters he had spoken with Graham by telephone on Saturday night, shortly before the senator's death, and that the two had discussed Graham's proposed SAVE America Act as well as his recent travels. "

He said, 'I'm tired because it's a long trip,' but other than that, he was fine," Trump recalled. He later described Graham as "a true American Patriot" and ordered that flags be flown at half-staff nationwide until Saturday evening.

First elected to the Senate in 2002 after eight years in the House of Representatives, Graham succeeded the retiring Senator Strom Thurmond and went on to win re-election in 2008, 2014 and 2020. He was seeking a fifth term in November's midterm elections, having secured the Republican nomination with 57 per cent of the primary vote in June.

Graham chaired the Senate Budget Committee at the time of his death and had previously led the Senate Judiciary Committee from 2019 to 2021, during which time he oversaw the confirmation of Justice Amy Coney Barrett. He was also a member of the Senate Committee on Appropriations and the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.

A former Air Force lawyer who served 33 years across active duty, the reserves and the South Carolina Air National Guard, Graham retired at the rank of colonel in 2015.

He was known as one of the Senate's most consistent advocates for military intervention, having backed the 2003 invasion of Iraq, opposed the 2015 Iran nuclear deal and pushed for continued US support of Ukraine and Israel.

Graham's political relationship with Trump evolved considerably over a decade. During the 2016 Republican primary, Graham ran against Trump and refused to support him in the general election, at one point calling him "the most flawed nominee in the history of the Republican Party".

Their relationship began to shift following a March 2017 meeting, though Graham broke publicly with Trump after the 6 January 2021 Capitol riot, saying on the Senate floor, "Count me out. Enough is enough."

The two men later reconciled, and by Trump's second term Graham had become one of his most trusted congressional allies, at times describing himself as the president's "North Star".

Tributes to Graham have come from across the political spectrum. Senate Majority Leader John Thune praised his "decades of military and public service", while former President Joe Biden said the two had "disagreed often, and sometimes loudly" but shared a belief in the Senate as an institution. Vice President JD Vance said, "We certainly had our disagreements. But I couldn't help but like him."

International leaders also paid tribute. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel had lost "one of its greatest friends", while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Graham was "a true defender of freedom and the values that make our world safer". NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte credited Graham with strong support for the alliance and efforts to end Russia's war against Ukraine.

Under South Carolina law, Governor Henry McMaster will appoint a temporary replacement to serve until January 2027. Because Graham was also the Republican nominee for November's election, a special primary is expected to be held by 11 August, with a possible run-off on 25 August, to select a new nominee. Names circulating as potential candidates include Representatives Nancy Mace, Ralph Norman and Russell Fry, and Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette.

Graham never married and had no children. He is survived by his sister, Darline, whom he helped raise and later adopted after their parents' deaths within 15 months of each other during his time at university.