Trump Mourns Lindsey Graham: ‘A True American Patriot’ After Senator’s Sudden Death

President Trump shared a heartfelt tribute Sunday morning to Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, who died unexpectedly the night before. In a post on Truth Social, the president called Graham one of the greatest people and senators he had ever known.

He described him as a true American patriot who was always working and said Lindsey would be greatly missed, with details and arrangements to follow. Trump ended the message with a simple note of sadness.

Graham was 71. His office confirmed he passed away Saturday evening after a brief and sudden illness. The senator had just returned from Ukraine, where he met twice in recent days with President Volodymyr Zelensky. Though Graham and Trump had clashed during the 2016 Republican primary—when Graham warned that nominating Trump would destroy the party and that Republicans would deserve it—the two men later built a close alliance. Graham became a steady supporter of Trump’s foreign policy, particularly the administration’s firm positions toward Venezuela, Iran, and Cuba. He often appeared on cable news to defend those actions.

A well-known defense hawk, Graham was running for a fifth term in the Senate. He chaired the Budget Committee and served on the Judiciary, Appropriations, and Environment and Public Works committees. He had visited Ukraine ten times since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in 2022. Zelensky paid his own tribute, remembering Graham as someone who stood with Ukraine and its people when they needed it most. The Ukrainian leader noted their constant dialogue, recent meetings, and Graham’s work on initiatives that could help bring peace closer, including stronger sanctions against Russia. Zelensky said America and the world had lost a determined leader.

Graham had been scheduled to appear that Sunday on NBC’s Meet the Press. It would have been his 64th appearance on the program. Host Kristen Welker posted her own tribute online, reflecting on how much he would be missed by colleagues and viewers alike.