Sen. Lindsey Graham, Longtime South Carolina Lawmaker, Dies Suddenly At 71
on Jul 12, 2026 • Updated Jul 13, 2026
In the evening of Saturday, July 11, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-SC, died at the age of 71.
Graham represented South Carolina in the United States Senate from 2003 to 2026, having previously served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1995 to 2003. He also served in the U.S. Air Force and Air National Guard, Fox News noted, ultimately retiring in 2015 as a colonel while in the Air Force Reserve.
Notably, he ran for president in the 2016 presidential race, but suspended his campaign by December of 2015 as future President Donald Trump and others held the lead ahead of primaries.
While he did not immediately support Trump, he became one of the 45th and 47th president’s most ardent supporters.
Upon hearing the news of Graham’s death, Trump posted on Truth Social in the early morning of Sunday, July 12, writing, “Senator Lindsey Graham, one of the greatest people and Senators I have ever known, is dead!”
Trump added, “He was always working, and was a true American Patriot.”
See Trump’s full post, here:
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-SD, posted on X, formerly Twitter, writing, “He was a strong advocate for the United States and a strong ally to freedom-loving countries across the globe. He believed in the might of America to achieve good in the world and dedicated his life to advancing that cause.”
See his full post paying tribute to Graham’s life of public service, here:
My heart is heavy this morning to learn of the passing of my friend and colleague, Senator Lindsey Graham.
— Leader John Thune (@LeaderJohnThune) July 12, 2026
Lindsey’s long and dedicated service in the Air Force and in Congress carried him to far-flung regions of the world. He was a strong advocate for the United States and a…
Graham was seeking reelection at the time of his death, having won the Republican primary in June ahead of the midterm elections in November.
On July 13, further details on the cause of Graham’s death were disclosed with the public.
Additionally, on July 13, Graham’s sister, Darline Graham Nordone, was selected to serve as interim senator until the end of his term, on Jan. 3, 2027.
“It is such a privilege to get to finish some of his important work, and I promise to work hard over the next several months to support the president and carry forward the efforts of my brother, on behalf of the citizens of South Carolina and the United States,” Darline stated.
She added, “Lindsey has always been there for me, and now I will be there for him.”
Her appointment as interim senator was recommended by Trump, and was made by South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster.
Darline is now the first female senator of South Carolina.
Watch Darline Nordone’s full remarks on July 13, here:
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How Sen. Graham “Suddenly” Died
At about 2 a.m. on July 12, the Office of U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham posted on the late senator’s X account that he had died the day before, on July 11.
His death, the statement said, was brought on by a “brief and sudden illness.”
See the full initial statement from Graham’s office, here:
Statement from the Office of U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina). pic.twitter.com/CQ5yVvqTH1
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) July 12, 2026
Graham never married, but the statement from his office notes that his family “appreciates prayers” during this time.
Fox News reported on July 13 that a statement released by Graham’s office said that he was pronounced dead at 10:23 p.m. on July 11 after being transported to George Washington University Hospital.
The District of Columbia’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner conducted an autopsy of Graham, and its preliminary findings were that Graham’s cause of death was an aortic dissection due to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
Aortic dissection, according to the Mayo Clinic, “isn’t very common.”
The Mayo Clinic notes:
“An aortic dissection is a medical emergency in which a tear happens in the inner layer of the body’s main artery. That artery is called the aorta. Blood rushes through the tear. This causes the inner and middle layers of the artery to split, called a dissection. If the blood goes outside the artery, aortic dissection is often deadly.”
The FBI was on hand, offering “assistance to local authorities,” FBI Dir. Kash Patel wrote on X, but it is not entirely clear if that includes the autopsy.
Details on funeral arrangements have not yet been disclosed, but Trump ordered flags to fly at half-staff through July 18.
During the 2016 presidential race, presidential hopeful Trump was running against Graham and released Graham’s personal cellphone number in 2015 to try to irritate the South Carolina legislator and disrupt his campaign.
Memorably, Graham responded by filming himself destroying his cellphone.
See that 2015 video, here:
Watch Graham speak in March of 2026 on Operation Epic Fury, here:
This is a developing story.
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