Lindsey Graham, the Republican US senator from South Carolina, died on Saturday at the age of 71 after a sudden illness. His death prompted an outpouring of tributes from world leaders, reflecting a global reach few senators could rival, but also a legacy marked by war and controversy.
Tributes from Israel and Ukraine
Among the first to pay tribute was Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel's far-right national security minister, who had recently sparked anger by taunting bound activists. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Graham a “great friend of Israel and a cherished friend of mine.” Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described him as “a true defender of freedom and the values that make our world safer.” Eulogies also came from NATO allies and Taiwan.
A Hawkish Career
A former air force lawyer and member of the South Carolina Air National Guard, Graham was a leading neoconservative hawk. In 2003, he vocally supported George W. Bush's Iraq war, calling Saddam Hussein's denial of weapons of mass destruction “a flat-out lie.” Hundreds of thousands died, and no WMDs were found. Undeterred, he later pushed for isolating Iran and opposed the Obama nuclear deal.
From Adversary to Trump Ally
Despite Trump's “America First” rhetoric, Graham transformed from a fierce critic into a close ally, golf partner, and key foreign policy adviser. He encouraged Trump's strike on Iranian nuclear sites in 2025 and was a persuasive voice for war with Iran in February 2026, despite reservations from JD Vance and others. Democratic Senator Adam Schiff called Graham “the Trump whisperer.”
Support for Ukraine and Controversial Stances
Graham staunchly supported Ukraine, visiting 10 times since the war began. He secured a sanctions package against Russia just before his death. Finnish President Alexander Stubb called him “a supporter of NATO and Ukraine.” However, his unyielding support for Israel drew anger; in May 2024 he urged the US to “give Israel what they need to fight the war,” and called Palestinians “the most radicalized population on the planet.”
Impact and Reaction
Iranian state television announced his death, with an anchor saying, “I congratulate the great nation of Iran on Lindsey Graham, the warmongering and anti-Iranian US senator, having gone to hell.” Brett Bruen, a former White House director of global engagement, noted that Graham's death could remove a check on Trump's impulses, potentially leaving foreign leaders without a key interlocutor.
