U.S. and world leaders pay tribute to Lindsey Graham following sudden death

Washington — Tributes began pouring successful aboriginal Sunday arsenic overseas leaders and American politicians reacted to the decease of Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, who died aft a "brief and abrupt illness" Saturday.

Graham, a four-term legislator and outspoken overseas argumentation hawk, was 71. He passed distant Saturday evening, his bureau announced. No further details astir his decease were instantly available.

The unexpected quality sent shockwaves done Washington and beyond.

President Trump called Graham "one of the top radical and senators I person ever known."

"He was ever working, and was a existent American Patriot. Lindsey volition beryllium greatly missed!!!" the president said successful a post connected Truth Social, adding that details and arrangements would follow.

In an interrogation connected NBC's "Meet the Press," the president said helium spoke with Graham Saturday evening, for what "could person been his past call." The president said Graham — who had conscionable returned from a travel to Ukraine — seemed bushed but "sounded great, actually."

"He was similar a subordinate of the household to me," Mr. Trump said, calling Graham "such an advocate."

Vice President JD Vance, who antecedently served successful the Senate with Graham, recalled a heated disagreement helium had with Graham implicit Ukraine assistance — followed by their practice connected different legislation.

"That was Lindsey Graham. He fought similar hellhole for the things helium believed in, and helium was conscionable arsenic consenting to spell to bat for you erstwhile it counted," Vance wrote connected X. "We surely had our disagreements. But I couldn't assistance but similar him. A 1 of a benignant fig successful our politics."

Senate Majority Leader John Thune said "my bosom is dense this greeting to larn of the passing of my person and colleague."

"Lindsey's agelong and dedicated work successful the Air Force and successful Congress carried him to far-flung regions of the world," the Republican person said successful a station connected X. "He was a beardown advocator for the United States and a beardown state to freedom-loving countries crossed the globe. He believed successful the mightiness of America to execute bully successful the satellite and dedicated his beingness to advancing that cause."

Thune, a South Dakota Republican, said Graham "fought passionately for the Palmetto State," adding that his "influence connected the national judiciary, our nationalist defense, and his beloved South Carolina volition beryllium felt for generations."

The bulk person called Graham a "trusted advisor and workfellow to maine and galore others, and galore presidents and heads of authorities person relied connected his counsel."

International leaders retrieve Graham

Graham's relationships with satellite leaders were connected show Sunday arsenic they paid tribute to his enactment and friendship.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who met with Graham days agone successful Kyiv, called the South Carolina Republican "a existent defender of state and the values that marque our satellite safer," adding that "America and the satellite person mislaid a determined leader."

"He visited Ukraine 10 times during the years of Russia's full-scale penetration and was present with our radical erstwhile it was astir needed," Zelenskyy said. "We remained successful changeless dialogue, and I volition miss our conversations. We met doubly successful conscionable the past week."

While successful Kyiv, Graham announced that lawmakers had reached an statement with the White House connected a Russian sanctions measure the president would support, possibly Graham's last large achievement. 

Graham was besides a backer of the U.S.-Israel confederation and favored a hardline stance toward Iran. Early Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Graham a "great person of Israel and a cherished person of mine."

"Lindsey understood that the information of Israel and America are inseparable. He devoted his beingness to defending America, strengthening our confederation and lasting up for the escaped world," Netayahu said successful a post connected X. "Israel has mislaid 1 of its top friends. America has mislaid a large patriot. I person mislaid a beloved friend."

In a Sunday greeting interrogation connected Fox News, Netanyahu said helium valued Graham's "candor" and "honesty."

"There was nary BS. He conscionable was truthful direct. And if helium wanted to archer you thing that you whitethorn not like, helium would conscionable bash it," the Israeli premier curate said.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog called Graham a "great American patriot" and a "true person of Israel" connected X.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said he is "so bittersweet to larn of the abrupt passing of my person Lindsey Graham." 

"He was a almighty advocator for America who believed powerfully successful the NATO Alliance and was actively moving to bring an extremity to Russia's warfare against Ukraine," Rutte wrote. "My thoughts are with his family, friends, and terrific team. I volition miss him dearly."

U.N. Ambassador Mike Waltz said helium archetypal met Graham "not arsenic Senator, but arsenic Colonel Graham successful the Air National Guard. He insisted connected spending his 3 weeks yearly grooming successful Afghanistan grooming Afghan Army JAG officers."

"From Libya to Lebanon, nary subordinate of Congress traveled much to admit some the troops and bring crushed information backmost to legislating," Waltz said. "Most of all, helium talked astir helping the radical of South Carolina and that our freedoms indispensable beryllium defended by projecting strength. Rest easy, Patriot."

Biden and Bush admit Graham

Two erstwhile presidents from other parties — Joe Biden and George W. Bush — offered praise for the precocious legislator connected Sunday.

Biden, who counted Graham arsenic a person during his clip successful the Senate, wrote connected X that they "traveled the satellite together" and "worked intimately connected galore issues passim the years."

"We disagreed often, and sometimes loudly," Biden said. "Lindsey and I did hold connected the profound value of nationalist service. Like me, helium loved the Senate arsenic an institution, adjacent with each its flaws and complexities."

In a statement, Bush called Graham a "knowledgeable Senator who understood however the satellite works and however important America's planetary engagement is to defy tyranny."

"He was a benignant and comic antheral who loved our state and loved serving it," Bush continued. "South Carolina was fortunate to person specified a committed nationalist servant successful its corner. And I was fortunate to person known Lindsey Graham."

South Carolina politician calls Graham "irreplacable"

Back successful South Carolina, leaders besides paid tribute to Graham. South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster said "Lindsey Graham is irreplaceable."

"The fiercest of fighters for South Carolina and America — and a loyal and steadfast friend," McMaster said. "We grieve with Darline, his household and his devoted staff. May God clasp him mildly successful the thenar of his hand. We shall not spot his likes again."

Republican Sen. Tim Scott, Graham's counterpart successful the Senate, said connected "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" connected Sunday: "America surely has mislaid a statesman, and I person mislaid a friend."

Scott pointed to Graham's past of "building bridges" — including with Mr. Trump.

"Lindsey Graham being connected the telephone with the president each azygous time was helpful, without immoderate question," Scott said. "The information of the substance is, it was the enslaved that helium forged connected the play people that made him specified a almighty advocator for the president and a almighty advocator for america with the president, and truthful we'll request that."

Other members of the South Carolina legislature delegation remembered Graham and his agelong past successful Congress. Rep. Joe Wilson said Graham "will ever beryllium cherished arsenic an American Patriot," portion Rep. Ralph Norman called him "a lad of South Carolina who loved our authorities dearly." Rep. Russell Fry said the "unexpected nonaccomplishment of Senator Lindsey Graham is hard to comprehend," calling Graham "an bonzer nationalist servant" and a "consequential leader."

"His bequest volition beryllium measured not lone by history's biggest moments, but by the countless lives helium touched 1 person, 1 family, and 1 assemblage astatine a time," Fry said. "South Carolina is amended due to the fact that helium served."

Democrats telephone Graham an "indispensible player"

Rep. James Clyburn, the South Carolina House delegation's sole Democrat, said helium and Graham had "a narration grounded successful communal respect, adjacent erstwhile our governmental differences were significant."

"Our governmental narration was sometimes partisan and passionate, but ever pleasant and productive connected behalf of the radical of South Carolina," Clyburn wrote connected X.

Tributes to Graham besides came from crossed the aisle successful the Senate, arsenic Democratic senators remembered the South Carolina Republican arsenic a person and noted his bipartisan work. 

Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, who partnered with Graham connected a bipartisan propulsion to present much aggravated sanctions against Russia, said Graham was "tireless successful pursuing state for Ukraine." He besides said the precocious legislator "listened to maine and others who mightiness person opposing views and sought to span our differences."

"I volition everlastingly retrieve our past lengthy speech this weekend, erstwhile helium exulted astatine reaching an statement connected our Russian sanctions measure and said, 'this is simply a large effing woody – we each did good,'" Blumenthal said. "When we past spoke, helium was arsenic enthusiastic and exuberant arsenic I've ever seen him. Passing the sanctions measure close distant would beryllium a fitting tribute."

Democratic Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia said helium "was heartbroken to larn of the abrupt passing of my person and colleague," adding that "Lindsey and I disagreed connected plentifulness implicit the years, but I ne'er doubted his emotion for this state oregon his committedness to serving it."

Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, the Senate's No. 2 Democrat, recalled being with Graham conscionable past week astatine the NATO Summit successful Turkey, wherever helium said the South Carolina Republican was "working each Senator connected a strategy to extremity the warfare successful Ukraine."

"Lindsey was portion of each important argumentation contented and an indispensable subordinate successful each Senate 'gang,'" Durbin said. "He was a fierce Republican partisan 1 time and a cardinal bipartisan state the next."

Nikole Killion contributed to this report.