US politicians and foreign leaders pay tribute to Lindsey Graham

Trump says Graham was ‘a true American patriot’ while Zelenskyy says he’s ‘deeply saddened’ by death

Washington woke up to the unexpected death of Republican senator Lindsey Graham , 71, who changed the course of modern history with his hawkish Iran platform and key role in establishing the stridently conservative US supreme court.

Donald Trump was one of the first to pay tribute to the controversial South Carolina lawmaker, a close ally despite past differences, in a social media post. “Senator Lindsey Graham, one of the greatest people and Senators I have ever known, is dead!” the president wrote on his Truth Social platform. “He was always working, and was a true American Patriot. Lindsey will be greatly missed!!! DETAILS AND ARRANGEMENTS TO FOLLOW. So sad!”

In Graham’s home state, Republican governor Henry McMaster released a statement on the senator’s death Saturday night.

“Lindsey Graham is irreplaceable,” he said. “The fiercest of fighters for South Carolina and America – and a loyal and steadfast friend.”

Graham’s death on Saturday was described by his office as a “brief and sudden illness”. The Washington Post reported a call at 8.30am near the senator’s Washington DC home with details of a cardiac arrest.

The news came just after a trip to Ukraine – and before Congress was due back in session Monday.

Former president George W Bush said Graham was “a knowledgeable Senator who understood how the world works and how important America’s engagement is to resist tyranny.”

Outside the US, foreign leaders begin to release their own statements on the polarizing American figure whose influence on US policy had wide ranging implications across the Middle East, Russia and Ukraine.

Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelenskyy , who had recently met Graham in Kyiv, said on Sunday that he was “deeply saddened” by the news of Graham’s passing. Zelenksyy called Graham “a true defender of freedom and the values that make our world safer”.

Graham “visited Ukraine ten times” during the years since Russia invaded the country in February 2022, kicking off a war that remains ongoing, Zelenskyy added in a post on X. “He … was here with our people when it was most needed. We remained in constant dialogue, and I will miss our conversations.”

Zelenskyy said he had met with Graham twice in the week before the senator’s death and called him “a staunch advocate for bipartisan and bicameral support for Ukraine”.

“In recent weeks, he had been working on important initiatives that could help bring peace closer, including stronger sanctions against Russia,” Zelenskyy said.

Israel’s prime minster, Benjamin Netanyahu, said in a post on X: “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. Israel has lost one of its greatest friends. America has lost a great patriot. I have lost a beloved friend.”

Nato secretary general Mark Rutte said that he was “so sad to learn of the sudden passing of my friend”.

“He was a powerful advocate for America who believed strongly in the Nato Alliance and was actively working to bring an end to Russia’s war against Ukraine,” Rutte said on social media.

The German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, said Graham was “a true friend and partner of Germany,” adding: “We stood side by side for more than four decades”.