Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina died unexpectedly on Saturday night at the age of 71, leaving behind a legacy that mirrors the dramatic shifts within the Republican party during the Trump era. A former House member who served in the Senate since 2003, Graham was known as a foreign policy hawk and a close friend of the late Senator John McCain.
From Anti-Trump to Trump Ally
Graham initially presented himself as a vocal critic of Donald Trump during the 2015 presidential campaign. He called Trump a 'race-baiting, xenophobic, religious bigot' on CNN in December 2015 and famously said, 'You know how you make America great again? Tell Donald Trump to go to hell.' Despite not voting for Trump in 2016—backing independent Evan McMullin instead—Graham eventually worked his way into Trump's inner circle after the election. He became a close golfing partner and a vociferous supporter of Trump's policies, including the war with Iran.
Childhood and Early Political Career
Graham often spoke of his childhood in his parents' bar, the Sanitary Café, where he earned the nickname 'Stinkball' for his antics. He wrote in his 2015 memoir, 'I would strut around the place, sometimes dressed as a cowboy – hat, vest and plastic six shooters. I might get up on the bar and walk up and down it while talking to folks.' He later served as a House manager during the impeachment of President Bill Clinton in 1998, arguing for impeachment based on the evidence presented.
Views on Impeachment and January 6
During the first impeachment of President Trump in 2019, Graham defended Trump, calling the process 'a Star Chamber-type inquiry.' However, after the January 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, Graham initially distanced himself from Trump, saying, 'All I can say is count me out. Enough is enough.' But by May 2021, he reversed course, stating on Fox News, 'Can we move forward without President Trump? The answer is no. I've determined we can't grow without him.' In June 2026, Graham famously told Trump at a South Carolina event, 'Mr President, you're not far behind God.'
Relationships with McCain and Biden
Graham's friendship with John McCain was a defining aspect of his career. After McCain's death in 2018, Graham said, 'He had a romantic view of our nation to his last breath. Literally almost the last thing he said to me was I love you. I have not been cheated.' Despite tensions over Trump's attacks on McCain, Graham continued to work with Trump. Graham also had a warm relationship with President Joe Biden, calling him 'the nicest person I've ever met in politics' in 2015. However, he later led investigations into Hunter Biden, stating, 'My friendship with Joe Biden, if it can't withstand me doing my job, then it's not the friendship I thought we had.'
Foreign Policy and Iran
Graham was a staunch supporter of Israel and a hawk on Iran. In 2015, he criticized the Obama administration's Iran nuclear deal, saying, 'Obama is dangerously naive about the Mideast. This decision is the biggest mistake any president of the United States could make.' He later supported Trump's maximum pressure campaign against Iran and warned, 'If Iran contests control of the Strait of Hormuz by the United States, we will obliterate them.' In March 2026, he said, 'If the radical cleric in Iran had a nuclear weapon, he would use it just as certainly as Hitler were to use it. He would kill all the Jews, and we're next.'
Legacy and Tributes
Graham's death prompted tributes from Israel and Ukraine, reflecting his complicated legacy. He was remembered as 'the fiercest of fighters' by colleagues. His journey from anti-Trump critic to one of Trump's most loyal supporters encapsulates the transformation of the Republican party in the 21st century.
