U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham died Saturday evening after a “brief and sudden illness,” his office said in a statement posted on social media. The office did not provide any additional details about the South Carolina Republican, who was 71 years old.
“Senator Graham’s family appreciates prayers at this time and asks for privacy during this incredibly difficult period,” the statement said.
Close ally of Trump and foreign policy hawk
Graham was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2002 and was running for a fifth term. He had been a close ally of President Donald Trump and a longtime hawk on Iran. As a member of the U.S. House in the 1990s, he backed policies aimed at isolating the country and limiting its missile and nuclear programs.
He also cheered on Trump’s decision to strike nuclear sites last year and had been a supporter of the latest conflict that started a few months ago.
Concerns about transparency on lawmakers' health
The sparse statement by Graham’s office, which did not explain his death, comes during a stretch of concern about a lack of transparency about lawmakers’ health. Rep. Tom Kean Jr., a New Jersey Republican, was absent without explanation for months before returning to Congress and disclosing that he had been diagnosed with depression. Sen. Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, was hospitalized weeks ago for undisclosed health reasons.
From presidential candidate to Trump ally
Graham, who was most known for his hawkish foreign policy positions, mounted a brief bid for the party’s presidential nomination during the 2016 campaign and later was a vocal critic of Donald Trump, the eventual GOP nominee. Yet Graham became one of the now-president’s closest allies in office, speaking with him frequently and becoming a regular presence on the golf course alongside Trump. He especially advised the president on foreign policy matters such as Iran and Russia and had just announced an agreement on Friday with the Trump administration to move forward on a package of Russia sanctions.
