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President Trump on Sunday paid tribute to Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), calling his longtime ally who died unexpectedly the night before a “true American Patriot.”
“Senator Lindsey Graham, one of the greatest people and Senators I have ever known, is dead!” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “He was always working, and was a true American Patriot. Lindsey will be greatly missed!!! DETAILS AND ARRANGEMENTS TO FOLLOW. So sad!”
Graham’s office said the senator died following a “brief and sudden illness” on Saturday evening. Trump and the senator were longtime allies, though both were rivals during the 2016 Republican presidential primary election.
Graham warned in May 2016 that if Trump became the nominee, Republicans “will get destroyed…….and we will deserve it,” he wrote on Twitter, now the social platform X.
The South Carolina Republican has since been a champion of Trump’s foreign policy toward Venezuela, Iran and Cuba in taking action against all three regimes. Graham regularly defended the Trump administration’s actions in his frequent appearances on cable news.
Graham was scheduled to appear on NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday morning after returning from a trip to Ukraine. Host Kristen Welker wrote in a tribute to Graham on X that it would have been Graham’s 64th appearance on the show.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also paid tribute to Graham, having written in a social media statement that Graham was there for Ukraine and “our people when it was most needed.”
“He visited Ukraine ten times during the years of Russia’s full-scale invasion and was here with our people when it was most needed. We remained in constant dialogue, and I will miss our conversations. We met twice in just the past week,” Zelensky added, noting Graham’s work on “important initiatives that could help bring peace closer, including stronger sanctions against Russia.”
“We will always be especially grateful for the recognition of our people and words of admiration for the courage of Ukraine’s defenders,” Zelensky wrote. “America and the world have lost a determined leader.”
The defense hawk was in the middle of seeking his fifth term in the Senate, having served as chair of the Senate Budget Committee. He was also on the Judiciary Committee, Committee on Appropriations and Committee on Environment and Public Works.
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Administration Live updates: Nation mourns Lindsey Graham after senator’s sudden death by The Hill Staff 13 minutes ago Administration / 13 minutes ago 
