Preliminary findings point to Lindsey Graham’s likely cause of death

No final cause of death has been given for Senator Lindsey Graham, who died suddenly over the weekend.

By World Israel News Staff

US Sen. Lindsey Graham died after suffering a tear in the wall of his aorta caused by underlying cardiovascular disease, according to preliminary findings released following the South Carolina Republican’s sudden death at age 71.

Graham’s office said Sunday that the District of Columbia’s chief medical examiner had identified an aortic dissection associated with arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

An aortic dissection occurs when the inner lining of the aorta—the body’s main artery—tears, allowing blood to enter and separate layers of the arterial wall. The condition can interrupt blood flow to major organs or cause the aorta to rupture and is considered a medical emergency.

The preliminary determination is not yet the final official cause of death. Graham’s office said his death certificate would remain pending while the medical examiner completes toxicological and microscopic examinations.

“At that point the death certificate will be updated to reflect the cause of death and appropriately classify the manner of death,” the office said.

Graham died Saturday evening, July 11, just two days after his 71st birthday. His office initially announced that he had died following a “brief and sudden illness,” without providing further details.

Emergency responders were called to Graham’s Washington home at approximately 8:30 p.m. after receiving a report that he was experiencing chest pain, according to reports citing emergency dispatch communications.

Responders later began CPR after Graham went into cardiac arrest. He was transported by ambulance to George Washington University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

President Donald Trump said he had spoken with Graham shortly before the emergency.

“He sounded a little bit tired, but perfect,” Trump said during an interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

Trump said Graham had called after returning from Ukraine and that the two had discussed meeting the following day.

“He was like a member of the family to me,” Trump said. “It’s very tough.”

Trump ordered flags at federal buildings and military facilities to be flown at half-staff through the following Saturday in Graham’s honor.

Graham had returned to Washington only hours before his death following a visit to Kyiv, where he met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and discussed air-defense assistance and proposed sanctions against Russia.

The senator announced Friday that an agreement had been reached with the Trump administration to advance legislation imposing additional sanctions on Moscow.

Graham had been one of Ukraine’s most persistent supporters in Congress and had visited the country 10 times since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.

“Lindsey was a true defender of freedom and the values that make our world safer,” Zelenskyy said following his death.

Graham was also one of Israel’s most outspoken supporters in Washington and frequently defended American military and diplomatic assistance to the country.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described Graham as both a personal friend and a leading defender of the US-Israel relationship.

“Israel has lost one of its greatest friends. America has lost a great patriot. I have lost a beloved friend,” Netanyahu said.

Graham had strongly supported the US military campaign against Iran and had advocated for years for a harder American approach toward Tehran. He also backed Trump’s subsequent attempt to negotiate an agreement with Iran, saying shortly before his death that he preferred testing diplomacy rather than abandoning it entirely.

The South Carolina senator had served in Congress for more than three decades. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 1994 and won election to the Senate in 2002, taking office the following year.

Before entering politics, Graham served as a lawyer in the US Air Force. He later continued serving in the Air Force Reserve while holding elected office, retiring as a colonel in 2015.

His death creates an immediate vacancy in South Carolina’s Senate delegation. Republican Gov. Henry McMaster is expected to appoint a temporary senator while the state prepares a special primary and general election to choose Graham’s successor.

The medical examiner’s final determination could take several weeks. Graham’s family has requested privacy while funeral arrangements are prepared.

Lindsey Graham