The office of Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina announced Sunday morning that Graham had died at the age of 71 following a brief and sudden illness.
Statement from the Office of U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina). pic.twitter.com/CQ5yVvqTH1
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) July 12, 2026
Lindsey Graham was born in Central, South Carolina, on July 9, 1955. After earning degrees in psychology and law from the University of South Carolina, he pursued a military career, serving as both a prosecutor and defense attorney in the US Air Force. He continued serving in the Air Force Reserve throughout his time in Congress and ultimately retired with the rank of colonel.
Graham began his political career in the South Carolina House of Representatives, where he served from 1992 to 1994. He then achieved a historic milestone by winning election to the US House of Representatives in 1994 and taking office in 1995, becoming the first Republican to represent South Carolina's 3rd Congressional District since the Reconstruction era following the Civil War.
In 2002, following the retirement of longtime Sen. Strom Thurmond, Graham ran for the open Senate seat. He won the general election with more than 54% of the vote and took office in the Senate in 2003. Over the years, he established himself as one of the chamber's most influential members, serving as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee from 2019 to 2021 and later as chairman of the Senate Budget Committee.
Graham described himself as a conservative in the tradition of President Ronald Reagan and earned a reputation as one of Washington's most outspoken and influential voices on foreign policy and national security. He was known for his hawkish positions on Iran and Russia, consistently supported US military intervention in global conflict zones and strongly opposed cuts to the US defense budget.
For many Israelis, Graham will be remembered as one of Israel's strongest and most outspoken allies on Capitol Hill, a steadfast advocate for the country's security and for strengthening the strategic alliance between Israel and the US.
Throughout his career, Graham's close friendship with the late Sen. John McCain played a key role in shaping his political standing. Although Graham ran against Donald Trump in the 2015 Republican presidential primary and initially opposed him, he eventually became one of President Trump's closest and most influential political allies in Washington.
