US Senator Lindsey Graham dies after 'brief and sudden illness', his office says
BBC News 2026-07-12 08:14:08
Context: US Republican Senator Lindsey Graham died on Saturday evening following a brief and sudden illness, his office announced. Graham, a prominent voice on foreign policy and a key ally of former President Donald Trump, had just returned from a visit to Kyiv, Ukraine, where he met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday. He was a staunch supporter of US aid to Ukraine and had been working on a Russia sanctions bill.
Key Facts
- US Senator Lindsey Graham died on Saturday evening after a brief and sudden illness, with his office releasing a statement asking for privacy for his family during this difficult period.
- Graham had just returned from a visit to Kyiv, Ukraine, where he met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday, with no known health concerns ahead of his trip.
- Graham was a key ally of former President Donald Trump and served as Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, having been elected to the Senate in 2002.
- He was a strong proponent of US support for Ukraine, working on a version of the Russia sanctions bill, which he said would give "tools to President Trump to end this war."
- Israel's President Benjamin Netanyahu paid tribute to Graham, saying "Lindsey understood that the security of Israel and America are inseparable," and that Israel had lost "one of its greatest friends."