U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican who traveled the globe to advocate for a muscular American foreign policy and became one of President Donald Trump’s closest congressional allies, died Saturday evening. He was 71 years old. According to a social media statement from his office, Graham passed away following a “brief and sudden illness.”
In the wake of his passing, international allies from NATO, Ukraine, and Israel paid tribute to Graham on Sunday, remembering him as a dedicated partner and a staunch defender of trans-Atlantic ties. His death occurred shortly after a final diplomatic trip to Ukraine, where on Friday, July 10, 2026, he announced an agreement with the Trump administration to push forward a new package of sanctions against Russia.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who met with Graham twice over the past week, noted that the senator had visited Ukraine ten times since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022. Zelenskyy praised his unwavering presence, stating that Graham “was here with our people when it was most needed” and describing him as “a true defender of freedom and the values that make our world safer.”
Though Graham was once a critic of Donald Trump before becoming a close confidant, his long-standing commitment to NATO remained a defining feature of his career. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte lauded Graham as “a powerful advocate for America who believed strongly in the NATO Alliance and was actively working to bring an end to Russia’s war against Ukraine.” Rutte’s predecessor, Jens Stoltenberg, similarly praised the senator’s “tireless commitment” to the trans-Atlantic alliance and his “staunch support” for Ukraine.
Graham’s foreign policy stance commanded significant respect along NATO’s eastern flank, where nations closely monitor Russian aggression. Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna declared that “Estonia will remember him as a steadfast friend, a strong supporter of NATO’s eastern flank, and an unwavering advocate for Ukraine.” Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braže described him as “among the strongest supporters of NATO and transatlantic relations” and a key backer of assistance to Ukraine. Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys added that Graham’s “commitment to the values of democracy, security, and international partnership earned him the respect and gratitude of many across Europe,” noting that while his voice will be missed, “his legacy will endure.”
Other European leaders also shared personal reflections. Finnish President Alexander Stubb called Graham “a personal friend. A supporter of @NATO and Ukraine. A Transatlanticist. A friend of Finland.” German Chancellor Friedrich Merz honored him as “a true friend and partner of Germany in the transatlantic alliance,” noting that they had “stood side by side for more than four decades.”
In the Middle East, Graham was a prominent adviser to Trump on policies regarding Iran and Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed deep grief, calling Graham “a great friend of Israel” and “a cherished friend of mine.” Netanyahu emphasized that Graham understood the security of Israel and the United States to be inseparable. “Israel has lost one of its greatest friends. America has lost a great patriot. I have lost a beloved friend,” Netanyahu said.
Michael Oren, who served as Israel’s ambassador to the United States from 2009 to 2013, highlighted the strategic impact of the senator’s passing. Oren remarked that Graham’s death removes a vital pro-Israel voice from Congress at a highly precarious time, noting that only a small number of Democrats and Republicans are willing to stand up so firmly in Israel’s defense. “So when you lose someone like Lindsey Graham, it’s a diplomatic and strategic loss for the state of Israel,” Oren said.
In contrast, Graham’s hawkish positions and strong support for Israel drew intense hostility elsewhere in the region. Iranian state television announced the senator’s death during a live broadcast using openly adversarial language. “I congratulate the great nation of Iran on Lindsey Graham, the warmongering and anti-Iranian U.S. senator, having gone to hell,” the broadcast anchor stated.
Graham had long faced anger in the Middle East for his aggressive foreign policy views, particularly his vocal backing of Israel’s military campaign against Hamas in the Gaza Strip following the October 7, 2023 attacks. In May 2024, after the U.S. government paused a portion of its military aid to Israel, Graham publicly urged then-Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to “give Israel what they need to fight the war,” comparing the existential threat faced by Israel to “Hiroshima and Nagasaki on steroids.” Later that year, Graham wrote on the social media platform X that “the Palestinians in Gaza are the most radicalized population on the planet who are taught to hate Jews from birth.”
This report was produced by Elaine Carroll, with additional reporting contributed by Kareem Chehayeb in Beirut and Julia Frankel in Jerusalem.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., speaks to reporters outside the West Wing of the White House in Washington, Feb. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis, File)
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., left, gestures as President Donald Trump speaks with reporters while in flight on Air Force One, Jan. 4, 2026, as they were returning to Joint Base Andrews, Md. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)
