Senator Lindsey Graham, the son of pool hall owners who rose to become one of his generation’s most influential U.S. politicians at home and abroad, will be eulogized on Tuesday during memorial services across Washington. The South Carolina Republican died on July 11 after a brief and sudden illness, with a preliminary medical examination finding that an aortic dissection contributed to his death. He was 71.
Graham’s remains will arrive at the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday morning, where the Republican served for more than 30 years as an indefatigable dealmaker who talked and laughed and badgered his colleagues into action. An Armed Forces Body Bearer Team will carry his remains into the Capitol in recognition of his Air Force service, followed by a U.S. Capitol Police memorial guard honoring his Senate tenure. A brief program celebrating his decades of public service will follow, expected to begin at 10:30 a.m. The ceremony will be livestreamed but is not open to the general public.
Later that afternoon, Graham’s remains will be taken to Washington National Cathedral for a funeral service scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. President Donald Trump is expected to deliver remarks at the cathedral, alongside Fox News’ Sean Hannity and other conservative leaders. The service will draw a remarkable gathering of world leaders and political figures, reflecting Graham’s status on the global stage.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy are planning to attend the funeral. Netanyahu flew to Washington on Monday at Trump’s invitation, while Zelenskyy confirmed his attendance through White House officials. Both leaders are planning to meet with Trump during their respective visits to the capital. The attendance of these two leaders reflects Graham’s long-standing relationships with both men and his prominent role as a foremost believer in the power of American global leadership and international support for democratic allies.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune said it was only fitting to give Graham a special Capitol honor as colleagues say their final goodbyes. “For so many of us in the Senate and the House, myself included, Lindsey was more than a colleague, he was a friend,” Thune said. First elected to Congress in the 1994 Republican revolt that swept the GOP to power, Graham was part of a new era of conservatives to take their seats in the House and among the first Republicans from his Southern state since Reconstruction. He quickly rose to prominence as a manager in Bill Clinton’s presidential impeachment and was elected to the Senate in 2002.
In the Senate, Graham formed an alliance with Senator John McCain of Arizona and former Senator Joe Lieberman of Connecticut in what would become known as the “Three Amigos,” a bipartisan group that became one of the most influential partnerships in modern American foreign policy. The trio globetrotted to conflict zones around the world and were among the most vocal advocates for American intervention and global leadership on national security issues. Graham was known as a foreign policy hawk who staunchly defended Israel and Ukraine and remained active in foreign policy matters until his death.
For decades, Graham was at the center of the action in Congress, a member of virtually every bipartisan group working on legislation, with a relentless ability to navigate between parties and personalities. He had become what Senator Adam Schiff of California called the “Trump whisperer,” someone other senators and even world leaders relied on to understand the president’s thinking. Days before his death, Graham had won Trump’s support for a long-fought bipartisan proposal to impose sanctions on Russia over the war in Ukraine, one of the strongest U.S. efforts yet to hamper Russian President Vladimir Putin’s ability to prolong the conflict.
Graham’s background in military service shaped his entire political career. A retired Air Force colonel who served 33 years in uniform, he joined the Air Force in 1982 shortly after finishing law school at the University of South Carolina. He served as a judge advocate general and remained in the Air Force Reserve while holding elected office, an unusual combination that gave him perspectives shared by relatively few federal lawmakers. He was awarded the Bronze Star medal for service in 2014 before formally retiring as a colonel in 2015.
Graham’s personal story was marked by early tragedy and deep responsibility. His parents died while he was a student in college, leaving him to raise his younger sister, Darline, nine years his junior. He became her legal guardian and remained devoted to her throughout his life. Following his death, his sister was appointed to serve out the remainder of his Senate term through the end of the year.
A special Republican primary election to permanently fill Graham’s seat is scheduled for August 11, with the filing period closing on July 28. Several candidates have already announced campaigns for the office, including Representatives Ralph Norman and Russell Fry, businessman Mark Lynch, and Graham’s sister Darline Graham Nordone, who announced she would seek a full six-year term. The winner of the special primary will advance to the November general election to face Democrat Annie Andrews.
The late senator’s sister expressed gratitude for the support received in organizing the memorial ceremonies. “I am grateful to all those who have come together to help honor and remember Lindsey,” she said in a statement. “I would like to extend my sincere thanks to President Trump and his team, Washington National Cathedral, Senate leadership, First Baptist Church of Columbia and the Senate Sergeant at Arms for going above and beyond to ensure these will be honorable tributes to Lindsey.”
Following Tuesday’s services in Washington, Graham’s remains will be taken to South Carolina on Wednesday for additional ceremonies. The day will begin at approximately 10:45 a.m. with a final visit to the South Carolina State House, where members of the public are invited to pay their respects along the procession route. The South Carolina State Guard Caisson Detachment will carry Graham’s remains, and a presentation of law enforcement from agencies across the state will occur on the steps of the building. An F-16 flyover via the 169th Fighter Wing from McEntire Joint National Guard Base will take place at approximately 11 a.m. Following the procession, a funeral service will be held at First Baptist Church of Columbia, and the family will have a private burial in Pickens County.