Lindsey Graham, a prominent Republican senator and key ally of former President Donald Trump, has died at the age of 71 after a sudden illness, his office confirmed.
The South Carolina senator passed away on Saturday evening, according to a statement from his communications director posted on X early Sunday. The statement asked for privacy for the family during this difficult time.
Graham was first elected to the Senate in 2002 and served four terms, most recently as chairman of the Senate Budget Committee. He also held seats on the Appropriations, Judiciary, and Environment and Public Works committees.
A vocal supporter of Israel, Graham backed Trump's military actions against Iran and consistently advocated for a strong U.S. stance in the Middle East. Israel's Defense Ministry expressed sorrow over his death, noting he "stood with Israel in its most difficult time."
Before his political career, Graham served as an Air Force lawyer and later in the Air Force Reserve for 20 years, retiring as a colonel. He initially ran for the Republican presidential nomination in 2016 but withdrew before the primaries, having been an outspoken critic of Trump before becoming one of his closest allies.