Throughout his Senate career, Graham was one of Israel’s most steadfast defenders on Capitol Hill.
By United with Israel Staff
One of Israel’s strongest allies in the U.S. Senate and one of President Donald Trump’s closest political confidants, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), died suddenly Saturday evening following a brief illness, according to a statement released by his office. He was 71.
Graham, a leading Republican voice on national security and one of the Senate’s most outspoken advocates for Israel, had been a fierce critic of the Iranian regime and a vocal supporter of military action to prevent Tehran from obtaining nuclear weapons.
His office said only that he died “following a brief and sudden illness” and asked for privacy for his family during this difficult time. NBC News reported that emergency personnel responded to a call for “cardiac arrest” at Graham’s Capitol Hill home Saturday night, citing police scanner audio.
President Trump mourned the loss of one of his closest allies in the Senate.
“Senator Lindsey Graham, one of the greatest people and Senators I have ever known, is dead!” Trump wrote. “He was always working, and was a true American patriot. Lindsey will be greatly missed.”
The senator had returned just a day earlier from Kyiv, Ukraine, where he met with President Volodymyr Zelensky to discuss the country’s air defense needs and additional sanctions on Russia.
Israeli leaders also responded with an outpouring of tributes, reflecting Graham’s decades-long commitment to the Jewish state.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel had “lost one of its greatest friends.”
“Sara and I grieve with the American people over the loss of our dear friend, Senator Lindsey Graham,” Netanyahu said. “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.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu:
Sara and I grieve with the American people over the loss of our dear friend, Senator Lindsey Graham.In our recent meeting, I said, “Lindsey is a great friend of Israel and a cherished friend of mine. We have no better friend than Lindsey.”… pic.twitter.com/OSToT8FCYm
— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) July 12, 2026
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said he was “shocked and saddened” by Graham’s sudden passing, calling him “the best senator and the best friend.”
“Senator Graham was one of the greatest friends of Israel and the Jewish people in the U.S. and the world over,” Sa’ar wrote. “His support for Israel and its security was unwavering.”
Shocked and saddened by the sudden passing of my friend, Senator @LindseyGrahamSC.
I always called “the best senator and the best friend.”
Senator Graham was one of the greatest friends of Israel and the Jewish people in the US and the world over.
Lindsey was a man with a… pic.twitter.com/3mjkHeqvHN
— Gideon Sa’ar | גדעון סער (@gidonsaar) July 12, 2026
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir also paid tribute, saying Graham stood with Israel “not because it was easy, but because he believed it was right.”
“The State of Israel will always remember his friendship, his unwavering support, and his steadfast commitment to Israel’s security,” Ben Gvir wrote.
Throughout his Senate career, Graham was one of Israel’s most steadfast defenders on Capitol Hill. He consistently backed military aid to Israel, championed tougher sanctions on Iran, supported Israel’s campaigns against Hamas and Hezbollah, and argued that the United States and Israel faced a common threat from the Iranian regime. In recent months, he had been among the strongest voices supporting U.S. military action against Iran.
His death marks the loss of one of Israel’s most influential and unwavering allies in Washington.