Sen. Lindsey Graham, a prominent figure in U.S. politics known for his hawkish foreign policy views and advocacy for American global power, died Saturday night at age 71. Preliminary findings from the Washington D.C. medical examiner's office suggest the cause of death was aortic dissection due to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
The office of Graham, who represented South Carolina in the U.S. Senate since 2002, announced his passing early Sunday, citing a brief and sudden illness.
Graham's political career began after a modest upbringing in Central, South Carolina. His parents, Millie and Florence James Graham, owned a local restaurant, bar, and pool hall called the Sanitary Cafe. Graham often joked that he learned diplomacy in this setting, recalling a childhood where he felt rich with the freedom to grab a Coke anytime he wished. He and his younger sister, Darline, lived with their parents in a single room behind the establishment.
Despite being a C student in high school, Graham became the first in his family to attend college, enrolling at the University of South Carolina. His college years were marked by personal tragedy: his mother died of Hodgkin lymphoma, followed by his father's death from a heart attack within a 15-month span. Graham spoke of this period as a shift from "the best of times to completely absolutely devastated." He also served as the legal guardian for his sister, then 13.
After earning his law degree, Graham served in the Air Force as a judge advocate general, rising to become the Air Force's chief prosecutor in Europe. He returned to South Carolina in 1989 and entered politics, winning a statehouse seat in 1992, followed by a U.S. House seat in 1994.
In the House, Graham was part of a group of Republicans who pushed for the ouster of then-House Speaker Newt Gingrich. He gained national attention for his prominent role in the impeachment proceedings against President Bill Clinton, famously asking at one hearing, "Is this Watergate or Peyton Place?"
He served four terms in the House before successfully running for the Senate in 2002 to succeed retiring Republican Strom Thurmond. In the Senate, Graham became known for his strong stance on foreign policy, often collaborating with senators like John McCain and Joe Lieberman. He briefly returned to active duty in the Air Force to advise during the Iraq War and retired as a colonel in 2015, having received the Bronze Star medal.
While initially a critic of Donald Trump, Graham later became one of his staunchest allies. He had recently returned to Washington from a trip to Ukraine, where he announced an agreement on new sanctions against Russia, before his death.
World leaders and colleagues expressed their condolences. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Graham understood the inseparable nature of Israel's and America's security. Former President Donald Trump remembered Graham as "one of the greatest people and Senators I have ever known" and a "true American Patriot."