BREAKING NEWS>>>LINDSEY GRAHAM DIES OF HEART ATTACK AT 71 !!

LINDSEY GRAHAM DIES SUDDENLY AT 71

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, 71, died Saturday evening following a “brief and sudden illness,” his office said in a statement.

“Senator Graham’s family appreciates prayers at this time and asks for privacy during this incredibly difficult period,” the South

Carolina senator’s office said.

No further detail on Graham’s death was immediately available, but a recording of an emergency phone call on Saturday evening

to a residence belonging to the senator mentions a dispatch for cardiac arrest. Graham was scheduled to appear on NBC News’

“Meet the Press” on Sunday, according to the broadcaster.

President Trump paid tribute to the deceased senator, calling him “one of the greatest people and Senators I have ever known,” in

a Truth Social post. “He was always working, and was a true American Patriot. Lindsey will be greatly missed,” Mr. Trump said.

The prominent senator had been on a visit to Ukraine on Friday where he met with President Zelenskyy, who has since said he was

“deeply saddened” by the news. Zelenskyy paid tribute to Graham’s 10 wartime visits to the country and his advocacy for

Ukraine’s defense.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu paid tribute to Graham. “Sara and I grieve with the American people over the loss of

our dear friend,” the prime minister said in a statement.

He ran for the Senate seat once occupied by Strom Thurmond in 2002, and won reelection three times by fairly robust margins.

Even in 2014, when outside conservative groups threatened him with a primary challenge for his role in the 2013 immigration

debate, no serious challenger emerged on the Republican stage. In 2020, he defeated Democratic challenger Jaime Harrison by

more than 10 points despite his opponent raising $25 million more than him.

Graham was always an outspoken hawk on foreign policy matters, including on Iran, and earlier this month he came out against

the initial contours of the memorandum of understanding Mr. Trump signed with the country. He also favored a hardline policy

toward Russia, especially after the country’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. 

His foreign policy views brought him close to two hawkish former giants of Congress, GOP Sen. John McCain of Arizona and

Democratic-turned-independent Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut — a trio that was dubbed “the three amigos.” (He

also counted former President Joe Biden, who served with Graham in the Senate, as a friend at one point though their relationship

frayed during Biden’s presidency.)

Graham was initially a staunch critic of Mr. Trump and the ascendant, conservative Tea Party movement. In 2016, after his own

short-lived presidential run came to an end, he once warned on social media that if his party nominated Mr. Trump, “we will get

destroyed……and we will deserve it.”