Lindsey Graham, a prominent Republican senator and key ally of President Donald Trump, has died at the age of 71. His office announced on July 12 that he passed away the previous evening due to a sudden illness, though the exact cause has not been disclosed.
Born in 1955, Graham entered politics in 1994 when he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. He won a Senate seat in 2002 and represented South Carolina for over 20 years.
Graham was set to run for a fifth term in the upcoming November midterm elections.
A leading hawk in the Republican Party, Graham advocated for a tough stance on issues involving Iran, Russia, China, and North Korea. He supported sanctions and military pressure to curb Iran's nuclear and missile development and backed military responses during Trump's second term.
He was also a strong proponent of aid to Ukraine, visiting Kyiv ten times since Russia's invasion in 2022. Just before his death, he met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to discuss additional sanctions against Russia and strategies for ending the war.
Graham competed against Trump in the 2016 Republican presidential primary but later became a political ally, supporting the Trump administration's foreign and security policies in the Senate.
Trump expressed his condolences on social media platform Truth Social, stating, "Graham was one of the greatest people and senators I have ever known. He was a true patriot of America."
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also remarked, "Israel has lost a great friend, and America has lost a great patriot."
With Graham's passing, the Republican Senate seats have decreased from 53 to 52. However, under South Carolina state law, Governor Henry McMaster can appoint an interim successor.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.