Sen. Lindsey Graham, outspoken backer of US-Israel relationship, dies at 71

US Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, a leading supporter of Israel on Capitol Hill, died last night after a “brief and sudden illness,” says his office in a statement.

“Senator Graham’s family appreciates prayers at this time and asks for privacy during this incredibly difficult period,” says his office.

The GOP senator’s current and former communications directors also put out messages on his death.

After bitterly criticizing Donald Trump when both were candidates for the presidency in 2015, Graham has since become one of the US president’s most die-hard supporters.

Trump has warmed up to him considerably and Graham has used the relationship to aggressively lobby in favor of US military action in Iran.

Graham traveled to Israel regularly to meet with top Israeli officials. He also visited Saudi Arabia often, and pushed for normalization between the US allies.

The Iran hawk was initially highly critical of the emerging Iran deal and said in May that the agreement putting Iran in a strong position in the region would lead to a “nightmare for Israel.”

“If a deal is struck to end the Iranian conflict because it is believed that the Strait of Hormuz cannot be protected from Iranian terrorism and Iran still possesses the capability to destroy major Gulf oil infrastructure, then Iran will be perceived as being a dominate [sic] force requiring a diplomatic solution,” he posted on X.

Once it was signed, he was more open to giving Trump a chance to test whether diplomacy could curb Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

At the same time, Graham had no hope of Hamas disarming voluntarily.

“My advice to the President [Trump] is until Hamas is dealt out of the game militarily and politically, the chance of success is pretty remote,” he told The Times of Israel in late 2025.

“These people are religious zealots,” he said. “They’re religious Nazis. I have no confidence, short of their demise, that they’re ever going to do anything other than what they promised to do. Did they stop wanting to destroy Israel? Did they change their stated goals? No.”

In the same interview, he also urged the US to join in on any potential attack on Hezbollah: “I would like to fly with Israel. I would like the United States to participate in military operations, in the aerial side, against Hezbollah, if that’s what it takes to knock them out.”

Graham was in Kyiv on Friday and met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.