World leaders and senior political figures convened in Washington on Tuesday, July 28, 2026, to honor the late Republican Senator Lindsey Graham at a memorial held inside the Capitol Rotunda. Graham, a South Carolina Republican known for his staunch interventionist foreign policy and embrace of "America First," was remembered as a "true American original."

Prominent Republicans paid tribute to Graham, a polarizing figure who was once a rival but later a steadfast ally of former President Donald Trump. He was a vocal supporter of the US-Israel stance on Iran and a leading voice in the anti-abortion movement. John Thune, the US Senate majority leader, described Graham as a "fierce defender of Ukraine" following Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022 and praised him as a "powerful voice for the [anti-abortion] movement."

Thune, visibly emotional, said, "I feel his absence every day, and I know my colleagues do as well. I look forward to the days when you make us laugh again."

Graham died suddenly earlier in July 2026 at age 71, shortly after returning to Washington from a trip to Kyiv. JD Vance, the US vice-president, credited Graham with playing a crucial role in the successful confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh to the US Supreme Court in 2018, which helped conservatives secure a supermajority two years later. Vance stated, "I believe that he saved that nomination."

Reflecting on Graham's character, Vance said, "I choose to remember Lindsey Graham as a person who could fight with you on one issue, but fight for you on another issue. I remember Lindsey Graham as a man who loved people, and because he loved people, he was willing to reason with them, to respect them and ultimately to persuade them."

He concluded, "May God rest the soul of Senator Lindsey Graham, a true American original."

Graham's career included service as an Air Force lawyer and reserve member while in Congress. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 1994, served as a manager during Bill Clinton's 1999 impeachment trial, and won a Senate seat in 2002.

Sources