Three months before the death of Senator Lindsey Graham, the late Republican was seen at Walt Disney World with a mystery companion. The woman has now been identified as Morgan Ortagus, 43, a former Middle East envoy under the Trump administration, whose appointment Graham had actively supported.
Graham died unexpectedly in March after a cardiac emergency. His trip to Disney World with Ortagus, where they were photographed with a Space Mountain bubble wand, raised eyebrows at the time, given his demanding schedule and infrequent personal vacations. However, sources within the State Department and Congress indicated that their close bond was well-known.
Insiders described their relationship as exceptionally close, extending beyond professional collaboration to include dinners, drinks, and shopping excursions. A State Department employee familiar with their relationship noted that they were "inseparable" and that Graham was also fond of Ortagus's young daughter, with the three of them sometimes spending time together.
Ortagus, who separated from her husband in November, is a Navy reservist and a former pageant contestant. She gained prominence as a pundit and State Department spokesperson during the Trump administration. Her work on the 2020 Abraham Accords, which facilitated normalization between Israel and several Arab nations, was a significant part of her career. She later served as deputy to Middle East special envoy Steve Witkoff, a role Graham was instrumental in securing for her. Following this, she took on the position of counselor to the U.S. Mission to the United Nations.
Graham and Ortagus initially connected through their work in conservative foreign policy during the Trump administration. Their professional paths converged significantly when Ortagus served as State Department spokesperson and Graham led key Senate committees. This collaboration extended to joint diplomatic missions to countries like Israel and Lebanon.
Despite Ortagus's prior public criticism of Donald Trump, Graham acted as a key political advocate, helping to facilitate her return to a prominent role within the Trump administration. Sources indicate that Graham leveraged his influence with Trump to secure her position as Witkoff's deputy, reportedly telling Trump that her appointment would be beneficial for his own legislative priorities.
Graham had been a vocal proponent of Ortagus's foreign policy capabilities, with a spokesperson stating that Graham believed she had a "bright future in foreign policy" and was "very talented."
Following Graham's death, Ortagus posted on X, formerly Twitter, expressing her deep sadness and describing Graham as "one of my best friends."