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Key events

• 1h ago

  Explainer: Graham’s death triggers a scramble to replace him – what happens next

• 2h ago

  Graham's death comes amid fraught time for Senate Republicans - snap analysis

• 2h ago

  The day so far: Washington remembers Lindsey Graham

• 4h ago

  'We certainly had our disagreements, but I couldn't help but like him': Vance on Graham

• 5h ago

  Trump says he has someone in mind to succeed Graham but 'it's too soon' after his death to say

• 5h ago

  Trump says he spoke to Lindsey Graham last night

• 5h ago

  'Israel has lost one of its greatest friends': Israeli politicians pay tribute to one of its staunchest allies in Washington

• 6h ago

  'True defender of freedom': Zelenskyy pays tribute to Graham's support of Ukraine

• 6h ago

  Graham's evolution from Trump critic to fierce ally

• 6h ago

  Trump praises Graham as 'one of the greatest people I have ever known'

• 6h ago

  Senator Lindsey Graham has died after sudden illness, his office says

More now from Donald Trump’s interview on NBC’s Meet the Press this morning, where he said that one of Lindsey Graham’s legacies as a legislator was helping to confirm US supreme court justice Brett Kavanaugh in 2018.

“I don’t think he could have gotten through without Lindsey,” Trump said of Kavanaugh. The president added:

double quotation markHe was a great politician. He really was. He got along with a lot of people that you wouldn’t think of. He was somebody that loved our country. And he fought very hard for the country.

Donald Trump has ordered all American flags throughout the United States to be lowered to half-staff until 6pm on 18 July to honor the “remarkable life and achievements of Senator Lindsey Graham”.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump described Graham as “a dear friend of mine, and a truly great man”, adding:

double quotation markGOD BLESS YOU LINDSEY!

World leaders continue to pay tribute to Lindsey Graham, particularly over his unwavering support for Ukraine.

Nato secretary general Mark Rutte wrote that he was “so sad to learn of the sudden passing of my friend”. Graham, he said, 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”. He added: “I will miss him dearly.”

Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, called Graham “a determined and fearless leader”. She wrote: “Senator Graham fought until the very end to support Ukraine’s fight for freedom and raise the cost of Russia’s war of aggression. He worked tirelessly to strengthen sanctions, in close coordination with the EU. He will be deeply missed.”

Canadian PM Mark Carney wrote that Graham “stood resolutely in defence of democracy and freedom, most recently and particularly with Ukraine and its people”.

British foreign secretary Yvette Cooper said Graham was “a steadfast supporter of the Nato alliance and unrelenting in his support for the fight for freedom in Ukraine, visiting Kyiv again only this week.” She added: “His voice in those debates will be greatly missed.”

German chancellor Friedrich Merz called Graham “a true friend and partner of Germany in the transatlantic alliance”. He added: “For more than four decades, we have stood side by side. I will miss him.”

FBI director Kash Patel wrote on X:

double quotation markSenator Lindsey Graham was a devoted public servant, a fierce defender of our nation, and a true patriot who dedicated his life to the people of South Carolina and the United States. Our prayers are with his family, loved ones, colleagues, and all those who knew him during this devastating time. The FBI is assisting local authorities and has made every necessary resource available.

The post itself does not indicate that authorities suspect foul play in the senator’s death. However, there has been some speculation online about the circumstances surrounding Graham’s sudden death after what his office described as a “brief illness”.

Pod Save America co-host and former Obama adviser Dan Pfeiffer responded to Patel’s post by calling it “an idiotic tweet from a complete idiot that will give rocket fuel to the conspiracy theories circulating online.”

Mace also just posted on X a bit of skepticism at Trump’s telling of his last conversation with Graham, in which the president claims the late senator was fired up about his controversial voter registration bill.

She wrote:

double quotation markShockingly, Lindsey Graham died a few minutes after speaking to President Trump - confirming the Senate was all set to pass the SAVE America Act… according to the President.

Nancy Mace, a Maga firebrand who recently ran for South Carolina governor but came in fifth in the state’s primary election, is one of several politicians eyeing Lindsey Graham’s seat.

She posted a not-so-subtle but also not exactly mournful video clip on X from The Godfather Part III of Michael Corleone saying, “Just when I thought I was out… they pull me back in”.

And earlier, a person familiar with Mace’s thinking told The Hill “Yolo” (you only live once) when asked about her interest in replacing the late senator.

Explainer: Graham’s death triggers a scramble to replace him – what happens next

George Chidi

South Carolina’s governor, Henry McMaster, has the political decision of a lifetime with the unexpected death in office of Senator Lindsey Graham. The Republican governor and loyalist of Donald Trump will appoint a new senator to serve out the remainder of Graham’s term, which ends on 3 January.

Whoever McMaster appoints will likely have a leg up in a special primary election on 11 August to fill Graham’s place on the November ballot, which he won despite facing five challengers from his party in June. That election calendar favors candidates with wide name recognition and deep institutional support.

The candidate would still run against Democratic nominee Annie Andrews, a pediatrician who gained significant support in the red state, but still faces an uphill challenge.

Congressman Joe Wilson has reportedly expressed interest in the seat. Of the Republican delegation to Washington, Wilson is the longest tenured. He has represented South Carolina’s second congressional district since 2001, and his activism within the state’s Republican party predates its dominance in the state’s politics.

Mark Lynch, a Greenville businessman, came in second with 29% of the vote. Lynch was a critic of Graham’s posture toward federal spending, immigration, and budget issues.

Congressman Ralph Norman, who placed third in the Republican gubernatorial primary, has also entered speculation as a successor to Graham, as has Nancy Mace, the ultraconservative congresswoman who came in fifth in a bid for the Republican gubernatorial nomination.

Graham's death comes amid fraught time for Senate Republicans - snap analysis

Lindsey’s Graham’s death comes at a perilous time for Senate Republicans, who face a series of legislative priorities pushed by Donald Trump with the August recess just weeks away, Politico notes.

They now have it all to do with an even tighter margin, as the mystery around Mitch McConnell’s health deepens – with no indication of when he might return to Congress – the GOP’s Senate majority stands at 52-47.

Graham’s absence will be felt most immediately by acting attorney general Todd Blanche, who is gearing up for his confirmation hearing before the Senate judiciary committee on Wednesday and was counting on Graham’s crucial vote to see him through. Blanche now faces an uphill battle to prevent even one Republican defection from tanking his entire bid.

The South Carolina Republican was also a crucial voice backing Trump’s authority to continue his war on Iran without congressional approval. Democrats will be pushing back hard on the war over the next few weeks, Politico reported yesterday.

That’s on top of the annual defense policy bill and the supplemental Iran war funding that Trump has been pushing for, which Graham had supported. Senate GOP leaders will also need to replace Graham as chair of the budget committee and fill his vacancy on the appropriations committee.

The day so far: Washington remembers Lindsey Graham

• Tributes have been pouring in this morning as Washington reels from the sudden death of controversial Republican senator Lindsey Graham, of South Carolina, at the age of 71. Graham died on Saturday evening after a “brief and sudden illness”, according to a statement from his office, which gave no further details. Citing police scanner audio, the Washington Post reported that emergency medical services received a call at about 8.30pm on Saturday regarding a person suffering chest pains at Graham’s home on Capitol Hill. About 25 minutes later, per the Post, emergency personnel said CPR was in progress and a man was suffering cardiac arrest. There had been no known concerns over the health of Graham, who celebrated his birthday last Thursday and had just returned from a visit to Ukraine.

• Donald Trump praised Graham, one of his closest allies, as “one of the greatest people and Senators I have ever known” and said he had spoken to him on the phone shortly before his death. Graham in many ways embodied the evolution of the Republican party, morphing from a fierce critic of Trump into one of his greatest political cheerleaders once he entered the White House. He was also one of the most influential figures in Washington on foreign affairs, advising Trump on major issues including his war on Iran and Russia. “He was like a member of the family,” Trump told NBC’s Meet the Press, adding that they had talked about Graham’s efforts to rally support for the Save America Act in that final phone call.

• Graham had made a name for himself as a foreign policy hawk - notably as a leading voice in Congress for support for Ukraine and Israel, whose dignitaries led global tributes today. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who had just met with Graham on Friday, said he was “deeply saddened” by his death and that the world had lost “a determined leader” and a “true defender of freedom”. Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel had “lost one of its greatest friends”, and Israeli president Isaac Herzog said the news had left him “shocked and heartbroken”.

• Tributes poured in across Washington, from members of the Trump administration to Graham’s colleagues in Congress and in South Carolina. Several senators have called for the Russia sanctions package, which Graham had worked on for months and received the green light from Trump on Friday, to be passed when lawmakers return this week in his memory. A fierce backer of Trump’s war on Iran, Graham’s absence will also be felt as the ceasefire collapses and fighting starts up again.

• Graham’s death will also impact the Senate and November’s midterm elections. Per state law, South Carolina’s governor may appoint a temporary replacement, but as Graham was up for re-election this year, there will also be a special primary election on 11 August to replace him on the ballot (and a run-off, if necessary, on 25 August). Trump said he had someone in mind to succeed Graham but said it was “too soon” after his death to say.

Former president Joe Biden, who served with Graham in the Senate for over a decade, said he was “shocked by [his] sudden passing].

double quotation markLindsey and I served together in Congress for over a decade, and worked closely on many issues throughout the years. We traveled the world together as members of the Senate Foreign Relations committee. We disagreed often, and sometimes loudly.

Lindsey and I did agree on the profound importance of public service. Like me, he loved the Senate as an institution, even with all its flaws and complexities.

To his family, his staff, his constituents in South Carolina, and everyone who loved him: Jill and I are keeping you in our prayers.

Democratic senator Chris Coons said there was “no better friend, no tougher adversary” than Lindsey Graham as he reflected on their friendship, marked by bipartisan foreign policy achievements and fierce sparring in Congress.

Graham had been “jubilant” after Donald Trump signaled that he was open to moving forward with the Russian sanctions package, Coons told ABC’s This Week. “It’s my hope that we will take up and pass this bill in Lindsey’s memory this week when we all get back to session,” he added.

Here’s Coons’s statement:

double quotation markI traveled the world with Lindsey, visiting dozens of countries across Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. We argued, advocated, and legislated together for more than fifteen years, and I am stunned by his sudden passing. We had dinner to celebrate his birthday at the Nato summit this past week, and one of my last memories of him will be of his irreverent wit, as well as his patriotism and love of freedom. Lindsey believed in the fundamental goodness of an America that uses its might to support the fight for freedom globally. His passionate advocacy for Ukraine and his tireless fight to impose greater costs on Putin for his war of aggression inspired many of us in the Senate. We should promptly pass his bill with Senator Blumenthal to impose greater sanctions and tariffs on the buyers of Russian oil and gas in his memory.

While we disagreed fiercely on many policy issues, he was complicated and could not be pigeonholed. I will never forget that at the height of the hearings over Justice Kavanaugh’s confirmation in 2018, one of the ugliest and most partisan fights we ever had, he was also quietly working hard to save American foreign aid. Several of my most important bills I have passed were with Lindsey, from conservation in Africa to promoting balanced American engagement with fragile states. I will miss having him as a partner in the Senate.

Of my colleagues, few have been able to frustrate and anger, amuse and engage me in a single conversation the way Lindsey could. I will deeply miss his humor, his global view, and his tireless optimism. Annie and I are keeping his family, including his beloved sister Darline, in our prayers.