Long-serving GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham, 71, of South Carolina passed away early Sunday, stunning President Donald Trump and the political establishment from Washington, D.C., to the Palmetto State.
Trump announced Graham’s sudden passing on Truth Social, writing: “Senator Lindsey Graham, one of the greatest people and Senators I have ever known, is dead!
“He was always working, and was a true American Patriot. Lindsey will be greatly missed!!! DETAILS AND ARRANGEMENTS TO FOLLOW. So sad!” Trump added.
Now, Graham’s possible cause of death has been revealed.
According to NBC News, Graham passed after Saturday night “from a brief and sudden illness.”
“Senator Graham’s family appreciates prayers at this time and asks for privacy during this incredibly difficult period,” said a statement from the family.
Emergency responders were dispatched to Graham’s Capitol Hill residence Saturday night after receiving a call reporting a possible “cardiac arrest,” according to police scanner audio obtained by NBC News.
Photographs reviewed by NBC News show paramedics transporting an individual on a stretcher from the home to a waiting ambulance.
Police vehicles and fire trucks were also present at the scene.
Graham was serving as chairman of the Senate Budget Committee and was running for a fifth six-year term in the Senate this November.
One of the chamber’s most recognizable members, he was a leading voice within his party on defense and foreign policy issues.
A senior Graham aide told NBC News early Sunday that there had been no indication the senator was experiencing health problems before his death.
Graham had been scheduled to appear on NBC News’ Meet the Press Sunday morning, a program on which he had been a frequent guest, making 63 appearances over the years.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune paid tribute to a “strong advocate for the United States and a strong ally to freedom-loving countries across the globe,” while South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster said Graham had been “the fiercest of fighters for South Carolina and America—and a loyal and steadfast friend.”
Per South Carolina law, McMaster will have to appoint someone to fill Graham’s seat until Jan. 3, 2027. It’s not clear yet who he will choose.
Graham secured the Republican nomination for a fifth Senate term in June after defeating several primary challengers.
With the general election scheduled for November, South Carolina Republicans must now select a new nominee, with state election law expected to require a special primary by Aug. 11.
Just days before his death, Graham had traveled to Kyiv, where he met Friday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
“Lindsey was a true defender of freedom and of the values that make our world safer,” Zelenskyy said in a statement, adding that Graham had visited the war-torn country 10 times since Russia invaded in February 2022.
“We were in constant dialogue, which I will miss,” he said, adding that “in recent weeks he worked on important initiatives that could help bring peace closer, including strengthening sanctions against Russia.”
“He was 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,” NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Graham “devoted his life to defending America, strengthening our alliance and standing up for the free world.”
“Israel has lost one of its greatest friends. America has lost a great patriot. I have lost a beloved friend,” Netanyahu added.
Graham’s death comes as fellow Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell (Ky.) continues to recover in the hospital after emergency responders were dispatched to a residence linked to the senator last month following a report of a person in cardiac arrest.
A spokesperson for McConnell has said the former Senate Republican leader is recovering, but his office has released few additional details about his condition.
