US Senator Lindsey Graham dies after 'brief illness'
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, one of the most significant voices on US foreign policy and a longtime ally of President Donald Trump, has died at the age of 71 following a brief illness, his office announced on Sunday.
A statement from Graham's office said he died on Saturday evening and that his family had requested privacy.
First elected to the Senate in 2002, Graham regularly courted intense international criticism for his pro-war rhetoric and interventionist foreign policy.
He served as chairman of the Senate Budget Committee and was a prominent voice on issues ranging from Israel's genocidal war on Gaza, wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and conflicts in Ukraine and Iran.
Trump paid tribute to Graham in a social media post, describing him as a "true American patriot".
: Lindsey Graham, staunch backer of Israel and US wars, dies aged 71
US Senator Lindsey Graham arrives at a rally with President Donald Trump in Charlotte, North Carolina, 2 March 2020 (Brendan Smialowski/AFP)