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President Trump praised Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) as a “true American Patriot” after the longtime politician died Saturday at the age of 71.
“Senator Lindsey Graham, one of the greatest people and Senators I have ever known, is dead! He was always working, and was a true American Patriot,” Trump posted on Truth Social early Sunday.
“Lindsey will be greatly missed!!!”
Trump said that funeral details and arrangements for Graham will be revealed in the coming days.
Graham’s office announced his death in a statement posted on social media, saying the South Carolina senator “passed away from a brief and sudden illness.”
Graham served in the Senate from 2003 until his death after representing South Carolina in the House of Representatives from 1995 to 2003.
He was chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee during Trump’s first term from 2019 to 2021 and later became one of the president’s closest allies on Capitol Hill, most recently backing the administration’s strikes on Iran.
The relationship between Trump and Graham changed dramatically over the years.
Graham was one of Trump’s sharpest Republican critics during the 2016 presidential campaign and even ran against him for the GOP nomination.
After the 2016 election, however, the two became close political allies, with Graham emerging as an outspoken defender of Trump in the Senate.
Graham stood firmly behind Trump during both of the president’s impeachment trials, voting to acquit him each time.
After Joe Biden won the 2020 election, Graham backed Trump’s efforts to challenge the results in several battleground states.
He also campaigned with Trump during the 2024 presidential race and was a key Trump ally on foreign policy and national security.
In recent months, Graham was one of the strongest Republican voices backing Trump’s decision to strike Iran, arguing the military action was necessary to prevent Tehran from developing a nuclear weapon.
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