Lindsey Graham Death Updates: Senator Joked About Iran Threat Days Before Sudden Passing

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Lindsey Graham death updates: Senator joked he was target of Iran days before emergency ‘cardiac arrest’ call

FBI Director Kash Patel said the bureau is ‘assisting local authorities’ in the aftermath of Graham’s death

South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham publicly joked about being targeted by Iranians less than a week before his sudden death.

In a July 6 post on X, the Republican lawmaker shared an image that appeared to show a man in Tehran holding a sign emblazoned with a bullseye over Graham’s face, alongside the message: “SOONER OR LATER YOUR HEADS WILL ROLL.”

“At least they used a good photo of me,” Graham wrote. “Judge me by my enemies.”

Five days later, emergency dispatch audio indicated that paramedics were called to the four-term senator’s Washington, D.C., home around 8:30 p.m. in response to a cardiac arrest.

Early Sunday morning, Graham’s office said the 71-year-old died following a brief and sudden illness.

President Trump said he had spoken with Graham by phone shortly before his death, recalling that the senator sounded “a little bit tired” after returning from a trip to Ukraine.

Long a forceful advocate for an assertive foreign policy, Graham aggressively backed the war with Iran and pushed for deeper U.S. involvement in Ukraine. Once an intense Trump critic, he later became one of the president’s most prominent allies on Capitol Hill.

FBI Director Kash Patel said Sunday that the bureau is “assisting local authorities” in the aftermath of Graham’s death.

Pinned

Working until the end: Senator Lindsey Graham's last days

South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham was working and traveling abroad in the lead up to his death on Saturday evening. Here is a brief timeline:

Thursday, July 9: Graham highlighted the opening of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s port facility in Charleston. “I fought to secure funding for the pier’s renovation that will support NOAA’s critical missions,” he wrote on X.

Friday, July 10: Graham met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Ukraine, his tenth visit to the war-torn country. He announced that he reached an agreement with the White House on a bill to sanction Russia.

Saturday, July 11, at about 7 p.m.: President Trump spoke over the phone with Graham. Trump said the South Carolina senator had just returned from Ukraine and that he “sounded a little tired.” The men discussed the SAVE America Act, a GOP-backed bill that would require new voters to provide proof of citizenship. Trump said it may have been Graham’s last call.

Saturday, July 11 at about 8:30 p.m.: 911 dispatch audio indicated that EMS responded to a call at Graham’s Washington D.C. home for a cardiac arrest.

Sunday, July 12 at 2:02 a.m.: Graham’s office released a statement saying Graham “passed away from a brief and sudden illness.” The statement added: “Senator Graham’s family appreciates prayers at this time and asks for privacy during this incredibly difficult period.”

Brendan Rascius12 July 2026 16:54

In focus: Graham’s conversion from Trump critic to staunch ally

Senator Lindsey Graham’s political career came to be defined by his evolution from Trump antagonist to one of the president’s most dependable allies.

The enmity dates back to 2015, when both men were competing for the Republican presidential nomination and trading barbs with abandon.

That year, the South Carolina lawmaker dismissed Trump as “a race-baiting, xenophobic religious bigot.” In 2016, before Trump had secured the nomination, Graham wrote on X: “If we nominate Trump, we will get destroyed…….and we will deserve it.”

Trump returned fire on the campaign trail, branding Graham a “disgrace,” a “nut job” and “one of the dumbest human beings I’ve ever seen.”

The frost thawed quickly after Trump’s victory. Graham emerged during the first term as a frequent and forceful defender of the president.

But, a rupture surfaced in the aftermath of the January 6 Capitol riot. At a press conference, Graham said: “When it comes to accountability, the president needs to understand that his actions were the problem, not the solution,” adding that Trump’s legacy had been “tarnished.”

The break proved fleeting, though. By Trump’s second term, Graham had reestablished himself as a fierce advocate, particularly when it came to the Iran war. After fending off a primary challenger in June, he publicly thanked Trump for his endorsement, placing him “not far behind God.”

Asked on Sunday about Graham’s evolution, Trump said he believed Graham came to “respect” his political potency after the 2016 election, and that the relationship “just grew” from there.

Brendan Rascius12 July 2026 20:54

Graham joked about being targeted by Iranians just days before his death

Senator Lindsey Graham joked publicly about being targeted by Iranians just days before his death.

In a July 6 post on X, the South Carolina Republican shared an image that appeared to have been taken in Tehran during the state funeral for Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a U.S. strike at the outset of the war.

The photo shows an individual holding a sign emblazoned with a bullseye over Graham’s face and the message: “SOONER OR LATER YOUR HEADS WILL ROLL.”

“At least they used a good photo of me,” Graham wrote. “Judge me by my enemies.”

Brendan Rascius12 July 2026 20:33

'You couldn't dislike him,' South Carolina senator says of Graham

“Whether you agreed with him or disagreed with him, he was sincere in his objective of making our nation better,” South Carolina Senator Tim Scott said of Lindsey Graham during a Sunday appearance on Fox News.

“You couldn't dislike him,” Scott said of the late senator, who was a staunch advocate for the Iran war and for greater U.S. support for Ukraine.

Brendan Rascius12 July 2026 20:15

ICYMI: Trump reveals what he said to Lindsey Graham in final call

President Donald Trump has expressed shock over the sudden death of his friend and ally, South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, and revealed he spoke to him a little over an hour before his death.

The 71-year-old Republican died from a “brief and sudden illness” Saturday night, his office said.

Graham was supposed to appear on NBC News’s Meet the Press Sunday morning. Trump instead called in, and told anchor Kristen Welker that he had spoken with the senator early Saturday evening “in the sevens.”

Isabel Keane reports...

Trump reveals what he said to Lindsey Graham in final call before fated 911 dispatch

‘He said he just landed from Ukraine. I said, that’s a long trip to make. He sounded a little tired,’ the president told NBC Sunday

Brendan Rascius12 July 2026 20:02

George W. Bush mourns the loss of Lindsey Graham

Former President George W. Bush mourned the loss of Lindsey Graham, characterizing him as a capable, kind and funny public servant.

"Laura and I were saddened to wake up to the shocking news of Senator Lindsey Graham's death,” the former Republican president said in a statement.

“He was a knowledgeable Senator who understood how the world works and how how important America's international engagement is to resist tyranny,” he added. “He was a kind and funny man who loved our country and loved serving it.”

Brendan Rascius12 July 2026 20:00

Senator remembers Graham for his stance on defending Ukraine

“Senator Lindsey Graham left his mark on South Carolina, our country, and the world through his decades of public service both in the military and elected office,” Senator Mark Kelly, an Arizona Democrat, wrote on X on Sunday.

“He was a strong supporter of Ukraine in its fight against Russia,” Kelly added. “Gabby and I are keeping Lindsey’s family, friends, and team in our prayers.”

Brendan Rascius12 July 2026 19:45

Senate Democrat describes Graham as 'key bipartisan ally'

Senator Dick Durbin, an Illinois Democrat, described Graham as “a fierce Republican partisan one day and a key bipartisan ally the next.”

Brendan Rascius12 July 2026 19:27

Senator says Graham was 'exuberant' when he spoke to him this week

In a post on X, Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal said that when he last spoke to Graham, he was “as enthusiastic & exuberant as I’ve ever seen him.”

Blumenthal, a Democrat, joined Graham in traveling to Ukraine this week.

Brendan Rascius12 July 2026 19:04

Graham toured a drone facility in Ukraine on the day before his death: report

The day before his death, Senator Lindsey Graham toured a drone facility in Ukraine owned by defense company SkyFall, Ukraine Pravda reported.

During the Friday visit, the South Carolina lawmaker was shown the development process for various weapons, including the Vampire bomber drone.

Graham returned from Ukraine shortly before his death on Saturday, President Trump said.

Brendan Rascius12 July 2026 18:52