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U.S. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham Has Died. Aired 4-5a ET
Aired July 12, 2026 - 04:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[04:00:00]
ANNOUNCER: This is CNN Breaking News.
WILL RIPLEY, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Will Ripley and we are following shocking and unexpected breaking news out of Washington where it's now 4:00 a.m. And word has come in that a very short time ago, within the last couple of hours or so, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham has died. And we're now starting to get our first reactions to this extremely sudden passing. Nobody saw this coming. His office says he died on Saturday night after what they described in a statement as a brief and sudden illness.
He represented South Carolina in Congress since 1995. He was elected to the Senate in 2003 replacing the legendary Strom Thurmond. And he charted a political path that took many turns over his decades in public service for the people of South Carolina. In recent years he's been an incredibly close ally of President Trump in Washington who congratulated him after he celebrated his 71st birthday just days ago.
Now, President Trump putting out a statement calling him a true patriot and one of the greatest people and senators that he's ever known.
Reporters in D.C. who have covered Senator Graham no doubt woken up by the breaking news alerts. And now, we're going to be joining one of them on the phone. Our CNN's congressional correspondent Lauren Fox. Lauren, how are you processing this news? How did you learn about this news and what are your sources telling you?
LAUREN FOX, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes. I mean, obviously this is really shocking. We have all come to know Senator Graham really well covering Capitol Hill over the course of my career. Obviously, as you noted, you know, his Senate tenure has really evolved since he was elected in 2002.
When I first started covering Senator Lindsey Graham when I got to Washington, he was really someone who was very closely aligned with Senator John McCain. That was his close, close friend in the United States Senate. He was someone who was working a lot on bipartisan immigration reform back in 2013. He was part of the Gang of Eight.
And then when Donald Trump came onto the scene in the Republican Party, he really became a close ally of the president. And as you noted Donald Trump just released a statement on Truth Social saying that, quote, "Senator Lindsey Graham is one of the greatest people and senators I have ever known, is dead. He was always working and was a true American patriot. Lindsey will be greatly missed," the president wrote.
And, you know, we just don't know that much right now about what happened. He was actually according to a Reuters report that I was just reading he was in Ukraine just a couple of days ago. He was obviously someone who never relented on his position that America should take a really strong position in the world and should be shaping affairs across the globe.
And it's really interesting given the fact that he repeatedly took trips to Ukraine. He met with Zelenskyy. He was a longtime supporter of aid to Ukraine. And I just think it's a very notable fact that he was just in that country a few days ago again just making clear what the U.S. position was and, you know, advocating for U.S. support there.
So, I just think it's a very interesting moment given the fact that no one expected this to take place. Obviously, he was running for reelection in the state of South Carolina. And he is someone who, in Washington, has just been such a fixture of the Republican Party and really has shown himself to be sort of representative of the swing in the Republican Party over the course of the last 20 years.
But, you know, he has existed in Washington as someone who has been one of the closest allies of President Trump and also someone who is a fierce defender of the president's positions on Capitol Hill.
[04:05:00]
RIPLEY: And, Lauren, as you're talking, we're showing footage from the Ukrainian Presidential Press Service released just on Friday of Senator Lindsey Graham meeting with the Ukrainian president, Vladimir Zelenskyy, appearing to be in very good form, shaking hands, smiling, speaking. He gave a statement to reporters when he was there, if we can show that footage.
So, the fact that he just on Friday had been overseas in Ukraine, flew back to Washington and suffers some sort of health complication on Saturday described by his office as a brief illness. It must have been incredibly brief and sudden. Obviously, it's still too soon to get any details about what may have happened. His family is asking for privacy at this time.
But, you know, people who work for Senator Graham. Can you talk about the kind of hours that he kept, the schedule that he kept, his work ethic and what he was like as a boss? I remember seeing one report that he told reporters about a decade ago that he had never sent an email.
FOX: Well, I mean, certainly he is somebody who works incredibly hard on Capitol Hill and is sort of in the middle of many, many things at all times. And you know, I think it is notable given the fact that they are not releasing a lot of details right now. And as you noted, part of their statement they said, Senator Graham's family appreciates prayers at this time and asks for privacy during this incredibly difficult period.
I mean, obviously it is still in the early hours of Sunday morning in Washington. Most people are still not up. Obviously, I'm here speaking with you. But, you know, there's just not a lot of information at this moment about what transpired over the course of the last 48 hours.
But I do think that, you know, he's someone who has always been really aggressive in terms of the schedule that he keeps. He is the chairman of the Senate Budget Committee. That committee is really important, especially in modern politics, because it is the committee that is responsible for being sort of the first stop when Republicans use an arcane process known as reconciliation here in Washington, which basically allows them to move forward with a lot of policy bills with just 51 votes if they have a budget impact. And the budget chairman is responsible for a really important process and is the first stop in that, in that, you know, it's kind of a grueling process.
I mean, it usually requires an overnight vote series known as the Vote-a-rama in Washington. It is obviously a really impressive and difficult process to sort of watch happen in terms of making sure that everyone is following all the very difficult Senate rules. And you have to really know things inside and out.
I mean, obviously Senator Graham has built his reputation in Washington as being a hawk on foreign policy, on really advocating for the U.S.'s position in the world. But he has also taken a really important role on the Budget Committee. He serves on the Senate Judiciary Committee and has for a long time. Obviously, he is someone who has played a role in several confirmation hearings of Supreme Court justices, most notably and probably most easy for people to remember, Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing. I mean, he was a really strong defender of Brett Kavanaugh during his confirmation hearing just a couple of years ago.
And, you know, he is someone who over time has, you know, worked with Democrats across the aisle at various points, but has really morphed into the president's strongest defender perhaps in the U.S. Senate that I can think of in this moment.
RIPLEY: What kind of a relationship does he have with his colleagues on both sides of the aisle? And how important are those relationships when you're trying to get things done, particularly in such a divided Washington in this day and age of 2026?
FOX: Yes. I mean, Senator Graham has been part of a lot of bipartisan negotiations over the course of his career. And I'm thinking most notably that 2013 negotiation over immigration reform. I mean, obviously that bill never became law, but it was sort of this really interesting moment in immigration policy because it was probably the closest time that I can remember that lawmakers got close to a comprehensive immigration bill. And, you know, he took multiple other negotiations on immigration over the course of his career and worked with Democrats on them.
You know, within his conference, he is really seen as an expert on foreign policy. Obviously, he comes from a very hawkish view that is not shared necessarily with every member of the Republican Party, especially in the modern Republican Party, especially as Donald Trump has sort of taken the party into more of an American first posture. But he is still seen as a really important voice in those conversations.
[04:10:00]
Every Tuesday, lawmakers gather for a Republican Party lunch. They share their views on various topics. And, you know, he is someone who is seen within the conference as just someone who has a lot of experience on foreign policy, someone who has been around a lot, and someone who has a very close relationship with the president, which matters so much in those discussions, because people want to make sure that they are doing what President Donald Trump wants them to be doing.
And Senator Lindsey Graham is just someone who talks to the president a lot. And so, I think they depend on him as someone who they truly believe has the ear of the president. And when he says that the president is thinking something, I think a lot of people believe him and see him as someone who is kind of a conduit in that way.
So, he does have really important relationships. I think members of his party believe him to be someone who has been around Washington for a long time. And that can be really invaluable.
RIPLEY: Invaluable for his colleagues on the Hill, but also for, as you mentioned, leaders around the world, Lauren, including the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, who has issued a statement a short time ago saying, I'll just read to you, quote, "Lindsey understood that the security of Israel and America are inseparable. He devoted his life to defending America, strengthening our alliance and standing up for the free world." This is Netanyahu's statement.
He also said Israel has lost one of its greatest friends. America has lost a great patriot. I have lost a beloved friend. Our hearts are with Lindsey's family and with the American people at this difficult time. May his values and initiatives continue to guide us toward victory and peace. And may his memory forever be a blessing. That from the Israeli prime minister a short time ago, Benjamin Netanyahu. Lauren Fox, thank you very much.
I want to bring in Shermichael Singleton now. He's an American political strategist, writer and CNN political commentator. How is the loss of Senator Graham going to perhaps impact President Trump's actions when it comes to Israel and Iran at such a at such a sensitive and uncertain time where we just saw strikes resume?
SHERMICHAEL SINGLETON, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR POLITICAL STRATEGIST AND WRITER: Yes. This is a significant loss for the party. And it's interesting because Senator Graham, if you recall, President Trump's first term, his ethos was a bit different from the president. The president was one to say we should not involve and engage ourselves in protracted long conflicts. And here comes Senator Graham, who is of an older orthodox view of conservatism, which is as the most powerful, wealthy Western nation, it is our job, our obligation to spread democracy, to protect our allies, Israel, Ukraine, et cetera.
You think about his significance and his voice, not only in the Republican Party, but in the country when you see democracies across the globe decreasing, not increasing. When you see the rise of China and the military threat that that presents, but also their expansion in the South Chinese Sea, across Africa as it relates to rare earth minerals. And even in parts of the Americas, specifically South America, from Brazil and obviously recently Venezuela, Senator Graham was a voice to say if the United States retract, then the void will indeed exist. And that void will be filled by the Chinese and other dictators.
And so, to me, when you think about the role of the United States and the fact that other Western nations look to us for guidance, they look to us for direction in terms of how we should chart the next 50, 100 years, I think you're going to see world leaders all over talking about the importance of Lindsey Graham, his voice, his loud and clear resolve, and making it certain to other nations that you cannot cross a line, making it clear to the Putins of the world that we will stand with free societies because that is the obligation, the moral obligation of the United States.
And so, I think this is a loss that we may not really realize in the immediacy, but when you think about the world order that came after World War II, that we helped spread and lead, Senator Graham has been in many ways the moral conscience to say, America, we must continue to be that moral voice. We must continue to lead. And so, this is just, this is surprising. It's devastating.
And I recall when I first met the Senator, I was 25 years old working for Dr. Ben Carson when he ran for president in South Carolina. And we stayed in touch over the years.
[04:15:00]
And anytime I would see him at a political function, he would always say, keep being that voice for good conservatism. Keep reminding people about the spirit of America. Keep reminding people about our role in the world. And so, this is, this is devastating. And I just give my regards to the Senator's family and his closest friends.
But my hope is that this moment will teach us to remind us to carry on the mantle of Senator Graham, where a lot of Americans right now are very hesitant and skeptical about how much aid we give to certain countries, principally being Israel. That was just mentioned with the previous reporter.
There's been a lot of discussion about what our role should be with Ukraine. How much should we give to Ukraine? Well, let this be a moment to remind us all that if we, if we step back, that void will be filled by someone else. And it will not be a friendly nation. It will be an adversarial nation. The wealth we have, the freedom we have, not just in this country, but all over the West, is because of champions like Lindsey Graham who said America and the West, we must be strong to push back against the forces that don't like the freedoms that we represent. And so, this is a significant loss for my party and a significant loss for the country.
RIPLEY: Senator Graham, as you know, spent more than three decades traveling around the world, representing the United States, visiting various countries, sharing the message of America, the values of America. And you've spent time in South Carolina as well. How did his South Carolina upbringing, the fact that his parents died when he was so young, and the values and the Southern charm that he brought to his office, how did all of that shape his political approach and how did it allow him to so successfully maneuver through these changing political waters and somehow manage to stay close to the people who were influential and be able to share with them what was important to him?
SINGLETON: I think the power of friendship under the ordinary set of circumstances, if you look at a profile of a Senator Lindsey Graham and President Trump, one would presume there is no way these two men would bond. There is no way there would be shared commonality.
If you look at Senator Graham and his travels to the Middle East, to other countries, Ukraine, to the United Kingdom, he always had the unique ability to bring that Southern charm of friendship first. What can I do for you? How can we meet in the middle to figure out how we can advance both of our obligations and our interests? And it's something that you unfortunately are seeing less of in our body politics today.
Now, perhaps you can disagree with some of his positions in terms of international relations and some people may say, well, he was too hawkish or he was too willing to utilize U.S. military forces under the guise of spreading democracy. And perhaps that can be debated at some point in the future. But it should not be underscored by how critical, and I think Lindsey -- Senator Graham understood this very well, how critical it was to have soft power and hard power in terms of international relations.
And knowing when to utilize both, not only for the interest of the United States, but also for our allies and also for people who yearned for freedom in other parts of the world. If you recall in Iran, when thousands and thousands of protesters were murdered by the regime, I recall Senator Graham going on various cable outlets, posting on social media, saying the United States will not allow this to occur. We will not allow innocent people who are yearning for freedom. The basics of what every human being, I would argue, yearns for. He said we're not going to allow that to persist on our watch.
Again, I go back to the voice of moral clarity. Maybe you don't agree with some of his positions, but there is no doubt in my mind that Senator Graham advanced the United States as being a global leader who looked out for its allies principally first, even at the risk of our own troops, even at the risk of potential economic fallout in our own country. Why? Because he understood what our founders understood, what many conservative philosophers understood, which was it is easier to destroy than it is to build. And once you've inherited something, you are obliged to maintain it.
And right now, as I mentioned a moment ago, we are indeed in a fight for free societies and those that are not so free. And Lindsey Graham was certainly an advocate for freedom.
RIPLEY: You know, sure, Michael, this is going to be one of those moments in the coming hours and days where a deeply divided Washington comes together to praise and to grieve. What would you say will be the legacy of Lindsey Graham?
[04:20:00]
SINGLETON: I would say that the senator understood what German philosopher, Hegel, once wrote, I guess 200 plus years ago, and his late friend Senator John McCain I think also believed this, which is, all men, all women, all children yearn for recognition.
And if you ever really had an opportunity to talk to the senator about his advocacy for why he felt that the United States had to engage and involve itself in other countries to make sure that people at least had the opportunity to get a taste of freedom.
Now, it was up to them ultimately what type of government they would form, but he would argue, I would imagine, that they have a right to be recognized, they have a right to chart the future that they believe is best for them and generations to come. And from our standing, from our posture, from everything that we have inherited, we must be an ally to help those people move that needle forward for themselves.
And so, to me that is a powerful legacy, because again, when so many want to retract, when so many are saying we have so many of our own problems in our country, is this really the right time for us to send resources? Is this really the right time for us to be engaged? Senator Graham would say, if not now, then when? And that's something that I hope most of us think about as we move forward, as we see conflict spread across the globe.
If we retract now, what happens to those people who are yearning for recognition, as Hagel said? What happens to their desire for what so many people in the West ultimately take for granted? Freedom. It seems like a simple thing, because we're so used to it. But imagine the people in Iran, imagine the people in Ukraine who are fighting for their freedom, who are saying we just want the opportunity for our children to live in a world that's better than ours. And Senator Graham was always the advocate, the ally, for those people.
And in many ways, he pushed the United States to not retract, but to continue to be the big brother, to be the leader, to say we will have your back against the tyranny that's spreading. That, to me, is a powerful legacy. It's a legacy that is uniquely linked to Senator John McCain. He continued to carry that mantle forward.
And my hope is that there are other senators, that there are members of Congress, and ultimately the American people recognize the importance for us to pick up where the senator left off.
RIPLEY: Very well said. Shermichael Singleton, at 4:22 in the morning there in Washington, thank you for waking up. Thank you for sharing your insight with us. We're going to be checking in with you and so many in Washington who are waking up to this shocking and unexpected breaking news that we've been following out of the United States that Lindsey Graham, the longtime Republican senator from South Carolina, has died at the age of 71. His office said he passed away Saturday night after a brief and sudden illness. They didn't provide any other details. Graham was elected to the Senate back in 2002.
For more than three decades he's been serving. He was running for a fifth term in the upcoming elections. He just won the Republican primary in South Carolina. And among other things, Senator Graham was known for his strong stance on Ukraine. He was just in Ukraine on Friday meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He's talked a lot about the conflict in Ukraine and also about how to end the war there. This is what he said at one point.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R-SC): The road to ending this war, the road to peace, passes through Beijing more than it does Washington, Kyiv or Moscow. China has an oversized influence. I'd like them to use their influence for the good of the world.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
RIPLEY: And this is what Senator Graham said just this week as he's been working hard, talked about imposing new sanctions on Russia.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GRAHAM: We've reached agreement with the White House on a version of the Russian sanctions bill that they will support. It means it's going to become law. So, when I get back to Washington, I'm going to go with Senator Blumenthal to the Republican, the Democratic leader to see if we can find time to move these Russian sanctions package that would give tools to President Trump to help end this war.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
RIPLEY: We're joined now by Joel Rubin. He is the former deputy assistant secretary of state. So, you know, well, Senator Lindsey Graham's really outsized role in traveling around the world, representing the United States, meeting with world leaders. Speak to the loss that you are feeling and others who have known him and worked closely with him over the years.
[04:25:00]
JOEL MARTIN RUBIN, FORMER. U.S. DEPARTMENT ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE: Well, good morning and what a horrible moment for all of us right now to be seeing this news. You know, I actually served in the Senate as a staffer earlier in my career when Lindsey Graham was the senator there in early in his tenure, too. And I remember him up close and watching him a real powerful leader was this man and a very strong principled leader. Shermichael was saying a second ago he had an impact.
And you know, in the United States Senate, there are 100 senators, but some stand out and some of them are ones that always make a mark. And that certainly was Sir Lindsey Graham on whatever he did. He would focus on it. He would speak to it. He would advocate for it. He was not shy, as you just showed in that clip. He went out into the field. He went to Ukraine in this instance to make very strong pronouncements. And that is what we want in the United States senators.
So, it's a real loss for the country. It's a real loss for the United States Senate. We need our titans. We need our legislative leaders. We need people who know how to speak clearly and strongly on behalf of the United States. Certainly, at this moment of precarious policies around the world and where we are really in many different fights, he was one of those voices who had a strong clarity and he's going to be really missed in the United States Senate.
RIPLEY: When you lose a voice with the depth of experience and the close relationship with President Trump, like Senator Lindsey Graham, how does this impact America's foreign policy moving forward? And what do you expect to see from our allies around the world who've met him and interacted with him over these more than three decades that he served the people of South Carolina and the people of the United States?
RUBIN: Yes. Well, you know, the work of a senator on foreign policy is extraordinarily dependent upon that senator him or herself. And so, that senator can have a massive impact on how America engages the world. And in this case with Senator Graham, he was one of those senators.
What they can do through their power, either of just being a senator who can control action on the floor, can decide whether or not to support the movement of nominees going forward to ambassadorships into the Pentagon and other areas. They have tools and levers that they can use to influence foreign policy.
But also, it's this bully pulpit, and you just saw it again in that clip, where Lindsey Graham would use all the tools at his disposal. He would go down to the Senate floor, make very long speeches. He would engage in committee hearings with strong questioning. He would do press conferences, introduce legislation. Then, of course, as we all know, call the White House, work Donald Trump, work him vociferously, in this case on policy related to Iran, to Ukraine, to China, you name it.
And they really are, in many ways, a free ranging powerhouse that are, of course, loyal to and representing the electorate of whom they're -- by whom they're voted, excuse me, in this case, South Carolina. But really, they're a national figure. And because it's a six-year term -- I want to add, you know, because it's a six-year term, and it's not limited, they span multiple administrations.
So, Graham, you know, he came in as a House member, then he went to the Senate, and we're talking going back into the '90s, we're talking back to the Clinton era, and he's still here setting policy and carrying that forward. So, his impact in this case, and broadly speaking, senators, they have a massive impact on foreign policy if you want to take it. And this senator, Senator Graham, surely did take it.
RIPLEY: What were your impressions of Senator Graham going back to your days as a staffer in Washington? What was he like to work for? What kind of reputation did he have? What did the people who worked for say about him?
RUBIN: That was a serious shot. One thing you always saw when you saw the Graham people, be it through the appropriations process, where he was a key figure, as well as his Armed Services Committee work, and then just generally, in his engagement on the floor, you didn't engage the Graham office without expecting to have a serious interaction, a serious conversation, professional, high level, high quality. That's what you want in the Senate staff. It's what you want in a senator. You want to know that you're engaging with someone who does actually mean what they say and is going to take actions to move forward on the issues and move those issues in the direction that they say they're going.
[04:30:00]
And so, you know, there's the old, of course, recollection. I was a Democratic staffer, and at that time, there were the three amigos. There were Senator Graham, Senator McCain, Senator Joe Lieberman. And we would watch it in awe in a bit, because here they were, the three of them moving policy, moving American foreign policy as a group, as a collective, shaping American public opinion. And that's a powerhouse office.
And that doesn't just come because you have good staff, it comes because at the top, you have a leader, the senator, who knows what he or she wants to see achieved, sets out the mission, hires people to accomplish that mission. And so, when you dealt with the Graham people, you always dealt with the highest quality. And clearly, I feel for them as well.
I got to add, for the staff and the people who work for the senator, not just staff, they're also close to the member. They're now grieving as well. So, we should be thinking of them as well at this moment.
RIPLEY: Joel Rubin, thank you very much for getting up and speaking with us about your experiences, your reaction to the shocking and unexpected death of Republican Senator Lindsey Graham. CNN's breaking news coverage will continue right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
RIPLEY: I'm Will Ripley back with the breaking news that we've been covering here on CNN, the shocking and unexpected news out of Washington that longtime Republican Senator Lindsey Graham has passed away.
His office released only a brief statement saying that he died on Saturday night after a brief and sudden illness. The statement says Graham's family is asking for privacy at this time.
[04:35:00] 71-year-old had represented South Carolina in Congress since 1995. He was seeking a fifth Senate term in this year's midterm elections. Just last month he won the Republican primary in South Carolina. Graham was also a very close ally of President Trump.
And CNN's longtime Washington correspondent, Brian Todd, is joining me now live from our Washington Bureau. Brian, what information are you learning at this very early hour just after 435 in the morning there about this story that nobody, absolutely nobody saw coming?
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Right, Will. It's just some shocking news to, you know, the government community and the rest of the world this morning. Here are some of the details that we can tell you. A spokesperson for Graham's office said that this was a brief and sudden illness. That's all they're really saying at this time. That he was 71 years old at the time of his passing.
The spokesperson said Senator Graham's family appreciates prayers at this time and asked for privacy during this incredibly difficult period. As we've been reporting, President Donald Trump has posted on Truth Social, quote, "Lindsey -- Senator Lindsey Graham, one of the greatest people and senators I've ever known, is dead. He was always working and was a true American patriot. Lindsey will be greatly missed," end quote.
I just got on the phone with a an official with D.C. Fire and EMS. I was asking for some more details regarding the senator's death. The spokesperson was not able to relay any details about treatment and transport, he said, due to federal privacy laws.
But we do have a couple of other things that we can bring to you. We have reaction from Senator John Thune, the senate majority leader, the Republican, who posted a long statement on X. And I'll read it to you here. Quote, again from Senator John Thune, majority leader, "My heart is heavy this morning to learn of the passing of my friend and colleague, Senator Lindsey Graham. Lindsey's long and dedicated service in the Air Force and in Congress carried him to far-flung regions of the world. He was a strong advocate for the United States and a strong ally to freedom-loving countries across the globe. He believed in the might of America to achieve good in the world and dedicated his life to advancing that cause."
Senator John Thune goes on, quote, "As South Carolina's senior senator, Lindsey fought passionately for the Palmetto State. He was a trusted advisor and colleague to me and many others, and numerous presidents and heads of state have relied on his counsel. His influence on the federal judiciary, on national defense, and his beloved South Carolina will be felt for generations. Kimberley and I pray for Lindsey's friends and family, and we send our heartfelt condolences during this most difficult time." That is, again, a quote from Senator John Thune, the Senate majority leader.
Also, we -- I can tell you, we just got this in just a moment ago. We have some audio from a 911 dispatch call related to the call at the senator's home. Take a listen to what you can hear from that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: EMS first responder (INAUDIBLE) cardiac arrest. EMS first responder (INAUDIBLE) with cardiac arrest.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TODD: All right. So, you can hear the words cardiac arrest there. You know, it was a call for cardiac arrest. We have to emphasize that. We cannot confirm at this moment that the senator died of cardiac arrest. It was a call for cardiac arrest that you heard on that 911 call.
Again, Graham's spokesman -- a spokesperson, did not disclose further details this morning. We had just -- our colleague, Lauren Fox, just cited some information from Reuters saying the senator was just in Ukraine a couple of days ago. So, we don't know whether there's any connection there.
But, you know, he did repeatedly go to Ukraine, met with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy there, was a strong advocate for more U.S. military aid to Ukraine, more U.S. funding to Ukraine, and was, you know, of course known as a kind of foreign policy hawk during his time in the Senate, a close ally of President Trump's, who we know, you know, he ran for president.
Senator Graham started to run for president in 2015, was an opponent of president Trump's, but then, of course, became a very strong ally of the president. Senator Graham first elected to the Senate in the year 2002. That's -- you know, that's what we can tell you right now.
He was running for re-election in South Carolina in the midterm elections this year, 71 years old. He was running for a fifth term as a senator for the state of South Carolina on the Republican side. Of course, you know, it's a huge loss to the Republican Party, a huge loss to the president of the United States, who did rely on Senator Lindsey Graham for a lot of foreign policy advice.
Again, D.C. Fire and EMS telling CNN they cannot comment on any details regarding treatment and transport of Senator Graham due to federal privacy laws. We did just play for you an audio call of a 911 dispatcher mentioning the words cardiac arrest, but we cannot confirm right now that the senator died of cardiac arrest. That was a call for cardiac arrest. So, we hope to get more details in the hours ahead. Will.
[04:40:00]
RIPLEY: Yes. That piece of audio that you just played, Brian, this is really our first clue into what could have possibly happened, because as you look at that video of Senator Graham meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine just on Friday, he appeared healthy, he appeared in good spirits, his usual self, bringing that Southern charm, bringing his more than three decades of knowledge and expertise.
He was speaking to reporters, he was meeting with politicians, he obviously traveled, he made that trip, and it was only after, really a short time after returning home from Ukraine, presumably to his residence in Washington, when this call came in, the initial call indicating cardiac arrest, obviously that could mean a lot of different things, it could be caused by many things, but basically the heart stopped pumping for some reason, and we don't have any answers as to what happened, but that is the first significant clue, Brian.
And this comes at a time that you and other reporters in Washington have really been keeping a very close eye on the health of one of Senator Graham's close friends and colleagues, Senator Mitch McConnell.
TODD: That's right. That's a very good point, Will. Senator McConnell's aides have been very, very, let's say -- let's just say they've kept that information very close to their vests during this -- the last few weeks regarding Senator McConnell's illnesses. We do know that Senator McConnell was in the hospital for some days.
Our colleague, Annie Grayer, has reported that Senator McConnell was taken to the hospital on a stretcher -- on an ambulance, on a stretcher on June 14th. He's been in the hospital for several days, but Senator McConnell's aides have not given very much detail at all about the nature of his illness. He was -- the D.C. Fire and EMS responded to a call at Senator McConnell's house on that day, June 14th, after reports of an unconscious person in the house. And we do, we -- again, our colleague, Annie Grayer, has been reporting that he was taken to the hospital in an ambulance and on a stretcher. Those were some details that we just got.
But yes, this is, clearly, you know, between that news and the news of Senator Graham's death, clearly just a shock to the system of the Republican Party, especially Republicans in the Senate. And we just read that long statement from the Senate Republican leader, John Thune, who is just crestfallen and heartbroken over Senator Graham's death.
You know, the political machinations of this are going to play out, but clearly, Will, a devastating blow to the Republican Party, Senator Graham's death coming on the heels of, you know, a very kind of a mysterious condition of Senator Mitch McConnell, the former Senate Majority Leader, who is clearly in not a good state health-wise. And you know, how the Republican Party is going to deal with all of this remains to be seen, but a real shock to the system this morning regarding Senator Lindsey Graham's death coming on the heels of this news of Senator Mitch McConnell's very serious illness.
RIPLEY: Two iconic figures there in Washington, as, you know, all too well from your many years of reporting from Washington, Brian Todd, I know that your phone's probably ringing off the hook. We'll let you get back to your sources and we'll be checking back within you, with you as our breaking news coverage continues.
But I'm going to pivot now over to London, where our Chief International Diplomatic Editor, Nic Robertson, is standing by. So, it's just 9:43 a.m. there in London, Nic, and obviously the first flood of comments and reaction that we saw were coming out of Israel, where Senator Graham has many close friends and allies there, including the Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. What are you hearing?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yes. Look, he was a real advocate for stronger support for Israel. He was somebody that the prime minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, could speak to sort of get a voice heard in the White House because of Lindsey Graham's close, you know, close foreign policy relations, if you will. He had the president's ear, President Trump's ear on some of those issues. So, that was another avenue of communication for the Israeli prime minister. He said, look, the country's lost a dear friend, but also, you know, a dear personal friend as well.
You know, I think as we begin to sort of reflect and look at the larger image and repercussions of Lindsey Graham's passing, this was a man who tried to run against President Trump, of course, for the presidential election 2015. He declared he was going to run 2016. Obviously, he stepped aside when President Trump was gaining momentum and threw his hat in the ring to support President Trump, but was a fierce critic of President Trump at that stage, calling him a jackass. But they made up.
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And I think to this point that Senator Lindsey Graham was someone of a more interventionalist, an old style Republican foreign policy attitude, whereas President Trump's base was the more mega isolationist base.
And for that reason, this made Lindsey Graham a here in Europe, somebody who was, if you will, the sort of old school Republican that European political leaders were more used to dealing with and somebody that they might in another world have chosen to be or preferred to have as U.S. president.
And if we take the look -- a look -- a close look at Lindsey Graham's last overseas trip, just on Friday, as you were saying, he was in Kyiv and he visited their advanced drone factory that's called Skyfall. It produces their long-range drones, their very short-range front-line drones. So, these long-range ones are the ones that are dropping the heavy payloads on Russian energy facilities thousands of miles from the border with Ukraine. And he was looking at their interceptor drone systems as well that are now becoming so popular in the Middle East as well because they're taking out some of the Iranian drones that are coming in.
So, there was Lindsey Graham doing what he believed in, which was trying to build and make sure that there was U.S. support inside of Ukraine. And that's something that he will be missed for here in Europe.
We go back and look at that terrible falling out at the end of February last year in the Oval Office between President Trump and Vladimir Zelenskyy. As you were saying, Lindsey Graham, an incredibly strong supporter for Ukraine. But on that day, he castigated President Zelenskyy and wasn't sure at that point if the United States and if he could support the United States in supporting Ukraine. He felt that President Zelenskyy had made a huge mistake. The day after President Zelenskyy shows up in London and begins a tour of European capitals, and that grows the coalition of the willing.
And the reason I'm focusing on the coalition of the willing is this was something that European leaders, Keir Starmer, the British prime minister, Emmanuel Macron, the French president, the Germans as well, established to continue the support of Ukraine when President Trump was pulling back. But which American senator was joining the phone calls to be involved with this European political military movement? That was Lindsey Graham. And that's why his ability to, whether it's for Prime Minister Netanyahu or European political leaders, to try to find a way to influence President Trump on foreign policy, on areas of intervention that President Trump was unwilling to go to.
You know, history may reflect on President Trump's intervention in Iran at the moment. And Lindsey Graham being a strong supporter of that is yet to see how President Trump's legacy plays out over his intervention on Iran and where that finally settles out. And Lindsey Graham was a strong advocate of that. And not surprisingly, some Iranian media are criticizing Lindsey Graham in some pretty awful terms today.
But I think when we look, whether it's the Middle East, whether it's here in London, whether it's Europe writ larger, Lindsey Graham is going to be missed. There's no doubt about it. He was somebody that they understood how to do foreign policy business with.
RIPLEY: And a familiar presence and personality on all of this congressional delegation, bipartisan, often trips that Senator Graham led, in many cases, delegations traveling all around the world, projecting America's message and values to allies and friends. That kind of voice almost certainly will be missed on multiple fronts. Nic Robertson, we'll leave it there for now.
But we have a lot of things to talk to you about as this coverage continues. Breaking news, the shocking and unexpected death of U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham. News breaking out of Washington, people just now waking up to this news that nobody saw coming.
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RIPLEY: I'm Will Ripley. We're following shocking breaking news here on CNN out of Washington, where word came in overnight during the overnight hours in the United States that longtime Republican Senator Lindsey Graham has suddenly and unexpectedly passed away. His office says he died on Saturday night after a brief and sudden illness.
There is audio of responders heading to his home, conveying a report -- an initial report of a cardiac arrest. But that was only the initial information as they were getting to his home. So, we still don't know what happened. We know that Senator Graham has served the people of South Carolina since 1995, first in the U.S. Congress, before being elected to the Senate in 2003. He's a close ally of President Trump, who put out a brief statement mourning his loss.
And I'm joined now by Jason Rantz, a conservative radio host of "The Jason Rantz Show." So, how are people who have followed Lindsey Graham's career most recently as the chair of the of the Senate Budget Committee responding to this news, Jason?
JASON RANTZ, CONSERVATIVE RADIO HOST, "JASON RANTZ SHOW": It's shock, literally nothing but shock. No one saw this coming. Anyone who just seen some of the images from his meeting in Ukraine, no one could have said there was anything wrong with them.
This is someone who has always been very high energy, very passionate, very involved. And for some people waking up to this news, they're not going to believe it. You know, having the conversation about any senator dying, especially in the context of the news with Mitch McConnell over the last few weeks, I mean, literally, I can't imagine anyone saw this coming.
So, people are coming to terms with it. And I'm seeing everything from people texting me to just what I'm seeing on social media. So, this was a huge shock, and it's a huge loss for the Senate and for the country.
RIPLEY: What does Senator Lindsey Graham represent to Republicans of all stripes, people that might have joined the party recently or people who have been lifelong Republicans?
RANTZ: Yes. So, he means different things to different Republicans. I mean, he's obviously very hawkish. That is, you know, a cornerstone of his political beliefs and his foreign policy, particularly around Iran and Russia and in support of Israel.
So, he's never been shy about supporting military options to go after our enemies and the enemies of our allies. Now, did that rub some Republicans the wrong way? Sure. I mean, you can count me in that group of not quite as hawkish as Lindsey Graham, but he's consistent.
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You knew exactly where he stood. You knew why he was taking the positions that he took. And it makes him very reliable for the White House, especially now in dealing with Iran. And he's that person who can pick up the phone and get in touch with the president and help guide him into making certain decisions in dealing with Iran in defense of Israel.
And, you know, I imagine this morning Vladimir Putin is waking up, realizing that someone who was a key pain for him is no longer in the Senate. So, he's probably not upset with this news. But that tells you precisely the kind of power that Lindsey Graham was.
Look, I think any senator who dies is going to become an obvious news story. I don't know if every single senator who would pass would get wall-to-wall coverage like this. And I think that speaks to the influence that Lindsey Graham had.
RIPLEY: Do you think we'll see another Lindsey Graham?
RANTZ: I don't think you'll ever see another Lindsey Graham. Each senator brings their own unique passions to the job. He was very passionate. And this is someone who for the last two-plus decades, again, had been so enormously consistent with his message and with his agenda that I think made this country safer for a lot of us.
And I'll say this for myself. When I learned of his death, what didn't come first to me was his hawkishness. It was actually his passionate support of Brett Kavanaugh during the confirmation hearings for the Supreme Court. To me, he stood out the most in such passionate defense of someone who he believed and a lot of us believed was being destroyed via that confirmation process. And that really changed the national conversation.
RIPLEY: Jason Rantz, thank you. We're hitting the top of the hour here, but I appreciate your insight. Our breaking news coverage here on CNN is going to continue right after this. The coverage of the shocking, unexpected death of U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham. You're watching CNN.
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