Sen. Lindsey Graham dies at 71 after brief illness

Sen. Lindsey Graham, the longtime South Carolina Republican and close ally of President Donald Trump, died on Saturday at age 71 after a brief illness, his office said. His office said the cause was an aortic dissection linked to cardiovascular disease, based on preliminary findings from the District of Columbia medical examiner. Final testing is still pending. Graham had recently returned from Ukraine, where he met with officials including President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to discuss sanctions on Russia and Ukraine’s air defenses. The senator had served in Congress for more than two decades, including time in the House and 23 years in the Senate. His death leaves a vacancy in South Carolina’s Senate delegation and could affect the narrow Republican majority in the chamber until the seat is filled. Leaders from both parties and foreign officials offered condolences and recalled his long public career, military service, and role in U.S. foreign policy.