(WASHINGTON, USA) – United States Senator Lindsey Graham has died at his home, with the likely cause being sudden cardiac arrest, according to NBC News. The South Carolina Republican was 69 years old and had recently returned from a visit to Kyiv.
NBC News obtained an audio recording of emergency medical personnel responding to a call about a cardiac arrest at Graham’s residence on Capitol Hill on Saturday evening. Photographs from the scene, also reviewed by the news organisation, showed paramedics carrying a person from the senator’s house on a stretcher and transferring them to an ambulance. Police vehicles and fire trucks were present at the property.
Graham was one of the most prominent members of the United States Senate and a leading voice on defence and foreign policy matters. First elected in 2003, he had served four terms and was preparing to run for a fifth six year term in November. He chaired the Senate Committee on the Budget and had recently won his Republican primary election in June, defeating several opponents to secure the party’s nomination.
A close political ally of US President Donald Trump, Graham played a significant role in shaping Republican positions on military spending, international affairs and national security. His influence extended across multiple administrations, and he was widely recognised as one of the most experienced legislators on Capitol Hill.
Just days before his death, Graham travelled to Kyiv, where he met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday, 10 July. The two discussed Ukraine’s urgent requirements for air defence systems and plans for new sanctions against Russia. The visit was part of Graham’s long standing engagement with Ukrainian defence matters, and he had been a consistent advocate for American military support to Kyiv.
On Sunday, 12 July, Graham had been scheduled to appear on the NBC News programme “Meet the Press.” His sudden death has prompted an outpouring of condolences from across the political spectrum. President Trump described the senator as an outstanding patriot.
Graham’s passing leaves a vacancy on the Senate Budget Committee and creates a competitive race in South Carolina, where the Republican Party will now need to select a new candidate for the November election. The loss of such a senior figure also removes one of the Senate’s most vocal proponents of robust foreign policy and defence funding.
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