Jul 12, 2026
Sen. Lindsey Graham passed away of a “brief and sudden illness” on Saturday night, his office said in a statement on X. He was 71.
“Senator Graham’s family appreciates prayers at this time and asks for privacy during this incredibly difficult period,” the statement reads.
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The cause of his death remains unknown, but NPR reports that audio reviewed by the publication shows that emergency services responded to a call of cardiac arrest at Graham’s home in Washington D.C.
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Graham is a long-time congressman, serving in the House of Representatives from 1995 to 2003. The majority of his political career was spent in the Senate. He recently won a primary in his native state of South Carolina as he sought his fifth term in November. He also previously ran for president in 2016 before ultimately suspending his campaign.
Graham’s relationship with Trump
Graham’s relationship with President Donald Trump was rocky at first — as both faced off in the hopes of taking The White House. Graham notably called Trump a “race-baiting, xenophobic, religious bigot” on CNN in 2015.
But the senator became an ally of the President over time, chalking it up to his patriotic duty. In Trump’s first term, Graham was instrumental in getting Justice Amy Coney Barrett confirmed to the Supreme Court, according to NPR. He also helped guide the president’s highly contested One Big Beautiful Bill Act into law last year.
More recently, Graham was a vocal supporter of the U.S. war with Iran — a military action by the president that continues on after a failed ceasefire.
Following his death, Trump took to Truth Social to pay respects to Graham: “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.”
According to Trump, he spoke with Graham on the night of his passing.
“Other than being tired, he was fine,” he told Meet The Press, adding that Graham had just returned from a successful trip to Ukraine. “He actually said he was tired, but he wanted to pass the SAVE America Act, and I said, ‘Well, we’re going to get it done, Lindsey. We’re going to get it done. I’ll see you, like, soon.’”
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Graham’s net worth
Graham earned an annual salary of $174,000 as a member of the Senate, the base pay senators have made since 2009. HIs net worth is anywhere between $1 million and $3 million, according to multiple outlets.
Between 2008 and 2019, Graham reported $2.1 million in adjusted gross income and paid $495,000 in federal and state income taxes, according to tax returns made available by his re-election campaign in 2020.
In 2022, GOBankingRates reported that Graham’s assets were spread across mutual funds and corporate bond funds he was invested in, along with the iShares Russell 2000 ETF. He also held checking and savings accounts with the United States Senate Federal Credit Union and First Citizens. As far as property, he was not required to report any property from which he wasn’t making rental income.
Graham is survived by his sister, Darline Graham Nordone. He never married or had children of his own.
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Danni Santana is a journalist based out of New York City with a decade of experience reporting and editing business stories about retail, restaurants, sports, and personal finance.
