Memorial services for Senator Lindsey Graham are scheduled to take place across Washington, honoring the influential Republican politician whose career spanned over three decades in Congress.
Graham's remains will arrive at the U.S. Capitol for a tribute service, followed by a funeral at Washington National Cathedral. President Donald Trump is expected to deliver remarks at the cathedral, joined by conservative leaders and international figures, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Their attendance acknowledges Graham's significant role in foreign policy and his advocacy for U.S. intervention in global issues.
The services mark the beginning of two days of remembrances, with burial set for Wednesday in Graham's home state of South Carolina. Graham died suddenly on July 11 at his Washington home due to a likely aortic tear, according to preliminary findings. He was 71. His death followed a trip to a NATO summit in Turkey and a visit to Ukraine.
The Capitol service recognizes Graham's extensive service, during which he was known as a persistent dealmaker. Vice President JD Vance is expected to speak at the Capitol, and Senate Majority Leader John Thune noted the significance of this honor for a colleague and friend.
Elected to the House of Representatives in 1994, Graham was part of a wave of conservatives and one of the first Republicans from his state since Reconstruction. He gained early prominence managing the impeachment proceedings against President Bill Clinton. In 2002, he was elected to the Senate, where he formed alliances, notably with Senators John McCain and Joe Lieberman, focusing on national security.
Throughout his career, Graham was a central figure in Congress, navigating shifting political landscapes, particularly his complex relationship with Donald Trump. He had publicly criticized Trump during the 2016 presidential primaries but later aligned himself with the former president after his election. Following the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack, Graham expressed strong condemnation but later rekindled his alliance with Trump.
Senator Adam Schiff described Graham as a "Trump whisperer," a figure relied upon by colleagues and foreign leaders to interpret the president's intentions. In the days before his death, Graham had secured Trump's support for a bipartisan proposal to impose sanctions on Russia over its war in Ukraine, aimed at hindering Russia's ability to sustain the conflict.
Senators indicated that approving the Russian sanctions package would serve as a tribute to Graham, with a procedural vote scheduled for the same day as the funeral. Zelenskyy was expected to be present and meet with senators.
The funeral service at Washington National Cathedral is also expected to include socially conservative and anti-abortion leaders. Graham, who never married, was a guardian to his younger sister, Darline Graham, following the deaths of their parents during his college years. His sister has been appointed by the state's governor to fill his Senate seat and is running in the upcoming election.
Graham had a distinguished military career, serving as a judge advocate general in the Air Force and in the Air Force Reserve. He was awarded the Bronze Star medal in 2014 before retiring as a colonel in 2015.