Tributes Pour In Following Graham’s Sudden Death

Allies of Sen. Lindsey Graham expressed shock and sorrow Sunday and offered condolences after the longtime fixture in Republican politics died unexpectedly over the weekend.

Graham, a four-term senator from South Carolina first elected to the House in 1994 and to the Senate in 2002, died on Saturday after a “brief and sudden illness,” his office said in a statement. He was 71.

Graham’s allies at home rushed to offer condolences, including President Donald Trump, who referred to Graham in a Truth Social post as “one of the greatest people and Senators I have ever known.” A sharp critic of Trump’s during his first presidential bid in 2016, Graham eventually became one of Trump’s strongest supporters and closest allies in the Senate.

“He was always working, and was a true American Patriot,” Trump said in the post. “Lindsey will be greatly missed!!!”

Trump on Sunday expressed disbelief over Graham's passing, telling NBC's "Meet the Press" that he "never though I'd be in this position."

"I thought Lindsey was going to be living forever," said Trump. "I never thought — I never — I said, 'Lindsey, you're going to live forever.'"

Fellow South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott praised Graham for leading with “faith, family, and South Carolina first.”

“South Carolina lost a statesman and I’ve lost a friend,” Scott said. “Lindsey remained committed to public service and doing what he loved. He always introduced levity and brought wit to the most challenging moments. Lindsey will be missed.”

Bob Heckman, who was a senior adviser to Graham's 2016 presidential campaign and had remained close with the senator, told POLITICO that Graham was “perhaps the funniest person I have ever known.”

“He was also tenacious in fighting for the things he believed in — serving the people of South Carolina, and making sure that America remained strong and used its strength to promote freedom throughout the world," Heckman said.

And Marjorie Dannenfelser, the president of Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America who was close to Graham, in a statement to POLITICO shared her gratitude for Graham’s work on legislation supporting limits to abortion.

"There is nothing like the friendship and partnership rooted in something so profound as the fight we fought,” Dannenfelser said. “On the fundamental value of the not-yet-born child to live, he said to all who would listen: ‘it’s not about geography!’ His ability to persuade surely did transcend geographic and political boundaries. There will be no replacements for Lindsey Graham. Just protégés."

Many throughout the world on Sunday referred to Graham as a personal friend and a patriot.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy praised Graham for his support of Ukraine throughout the country’s war with Russia. Zelenskyy said he was “deeply saddened” by the senator’s passing and called him a “a true defender of freedom and the values that make our world safer.”

Graham, who had returned from Ukraine just before his death, on Friday announced an agreement with the Trump administration to move forward on a package of sanctions against Russia. Zelenskyy said Graham had visited Ukraine 10 times since Russia’s invasion and “was here with our people when it was most needed.”

“America and the world have lost a determined leader,” said Zelenskyy.

Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission in a post to social media said Graham “fought until the very end to support Ukraine’s fight for freedom.”

“A determined and fearless leader. He will be deeply missed,” she said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday told “Fox & Friends Weekend” that Graham was among a group of leaders “personifying the traditional American values. He was such an American patriot.”

"I'll miss him personally a lot, a lot,” said Netanyahu. “I really, really thought the world of him. And I think the world has lost a great human being."

Throughout his career, Graham remained a vocal supporter of Israel, including voting for legislation that would offer additional military aid to Israel and advocating for the U.S. embassy to be relocated from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

Graham also received praise from Finnish President Alexander Stubb, who said Graham was both a “personal friend” and a “friend of Finland.”

“Our link to South Carolina was a springboard for a great partnership,” Stubb said in a post to X that included a photo of him golfing with Graham. “Not a week went by without an exchange of ideas. Thank you for everything you did to keep the US and Europe intact. You will be missed by many of us.”