Tributes poured in Sunday from President Donald Trump, congressional leaders, and foreign allies after Senator Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina, died at 71 following what his office described as a «brief and sudden illness.» His death brings to an end the career of one of the Senate’s most influential Republican voices on national security and foreign policy.
Graham had served in the Senate since 2003 and became a leading GOP voice on issues ranging from judicial confirmations to Ukraine, Israel, and Iran. Once a sharp critic of Trump during the 2016 presidential campaign, Graham later emerged as one of the president’s closest allies while maintaining a prominent role on foreign affairs. Trump wrote on Truth Social that Graham «was always working» and called him «a true American Patriot.» «Lindsey will be greatly missed!!!» Trump wrote. «So sad!»
South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster called Graham «irreplaceable» and «the fiercest of fighters for South Carolina and America.» Under state law, McMaster will appoint a temporary replacement for Graham, who was seeking a fifth term in November. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, Republican of South Dakota, said his «heart is heavy» following Graham’s death, calling him a trusted adviser whose influence «on the federal judiciary, our national defense, and his beloved South Carolina will be felt for generations.» Thune praised Graham as a tireless advocate for the United States and its allies, saying he believed in «the might of America to achieve good in the world» and spent his career advancing that cause.
United States UN Ambassador Mike Waltz remembered Graham not only as a senator but as a fellow military officer. Waltz said he first met Graham when he was serving as a colonel in the Air National Guard, recalling that Graham spent his annual training deployments in Afghanistan helping train Afghan Army Judge Advocate General officers. Waltz also praised Graham’s commitment to the U.S. military and foreign policy, saying no member of Congress traveled more extensively «from Libya to Lebanon» to meet with American troops and bring «ground truth back to legislating.» «Rest easy, Patriot,» he wrote on X.
Graham’s death also prompted tributes from across the aisle. Senator John Fetterman, Democrat of Pennsylvania, remembered his Republican colleague as «kind, gracious, and thoughtful» and an expert on foreign policy. «Sudden and awful news about Senator Lindsey Graham,» Fetterman wrote. «The United States Senate lost a foreign policy giant.»
The outpouring of tributes quickly spread beyond Washington, with world leaders remembering Graham as one of America’s most influential voices on national security and foreign affairs. In one of his final overseas trips, Graham met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last week. The visit marked his 10th trip to Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion, where the two discussed tougher sanctions on Russia and the country’s air defense needs. After Graham’s death, Zelenskyy posted on X, calling him «a true defender of freedom» who stood with Ukraine «when it was most needed.» He said Graham’s bipartisan work to increase pressure on Moscow helped bring «peace closer,» adding, «America and the world have lost a determined leader.»
Other European leaders echoed those sentiments. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte described Graham as «a powerful advocate for America who believed strongly in the NATO Alliance and was actively working to bring an end to Russia’s war against Ukraine.» Former NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg praised his «tireless commitment» to NATO and the trans-Atlantic bond, as well as his «staunch support» for Ukraine. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Graham was «a true friend and partner of Germany in the transatlantic alliance. We stood side by side for more than four decades.»
The tributes extended to the Middle East, where Graham was remembered as one of Israel’s strongest allies in Washington. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called him «a great friend of Israel» and «a cherished friend of mine,» saying Graham understood that the security of Israel and the United States «is inseparable» and devoted his life to strengthening the alliance between the two countries. «Israel has lost one of its greatest friends. America has lost a great patriot. I have lost a beloved friend,» Netanyahu said. Former Israeli Ambassador to the United States Michael Oren told The Associated Press that Graham’s death leaves Congress without one of its most steadfast pro-Israel voices at a particularly precarious moment. «You have a few Democrats and Republicans willing to stand up in Israel’s defense, but those type of people are few, it’s not a body of people,» he said. «So when you lose someone like Lindsey Graham, it’s a diplomatic and strategic loss for the state of Israel.»