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The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for the District of Columbia determined this Sunday that Republican Senator Lindsey Graham died from an aortic dissection caused by an atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, according to the preliminary forensic results released after his passing on Saturday night.
The authorities clarified that the diagnosis is preliminary and that the final certification will be pending until additional toxicological and microscopic analyses are completed.
Aortic dissection is a sudden medical emergency that occurs when the inner layer of the aorta—the main artery that carries blood from the heart to the rest of the body—suffers a tear that leads to a separation of its layers.
Graham was 71 years old and had just celebrated his birthday two days before his death, on July 9.
His office described the passing as a result of a "brief and sudden illness" and requested respect for his family: "His family appreciates the prayers at this time and asks for privacy during this extremely difficult period."
The president Donald Trump revealed that he had spoken with Graham on the phone hours before his death, when the senator was returning from a trip to Ukraine and seemed fine, albeit somewhat tired.
"It was like a family member. It's very difficult," Trump said upon hearing the news.
In that last call, Graham also confirmed his support for the bill known as the SAVE America Act.
Trump ordered to fly the flags at half-mast throughout the country until the following Saturday at six in the evening, in tribute to the deceased lawmaker.
Graham has represented South Carolina in the Senate since 2003 and chaired the Budget and Judiciary committees during Trump's second term, becoming one of the president's most influential allies in Congress.
On the international stage, he was a consistent voice on security and foreign policy, and in his final weeks, he was working on a package of sanctions against Moscow.
His last known public activity was that trip to Ukraine, where he met with President Volodimir Zelensky, who described him as a "true defender of freedom and the values that make our world safer."
The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also expressed his sorrow: "Israel has lost one of its great friends. The United States has lost a great patriot. I have lost a dear friend."
In recent months, Graham had made the cause of Cuba a personal priority. In March 2026, he appeared on Fox News wearing a "Cuba Libre" cap and declared that the dictatorship "has its days numbered." In May, he supported efforts to hold Raúl Castro criminally accountable for the downing of the Brothers to the Rescue planes in 1996.
The death of Graham leaves a vacancy in the Senate that must be filled by the Republican governor Henry McMaster, who according to South Carolina legislation has the authority to appoint a temporary replacement until a special election is held.
Graham was aiming for a fifth term in the November 2026 elections, and his absence further complicates the narrow Republican majority in the chamber.
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