World leaders, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, gathered alongside President Donald Trump at Washington National Cathedral on Tuesday to eulogize the late Senator Lindsey Graham, honoring the three-decade Washington fixture following his sudden death on July 11 at age 71.
Washington Tributes Span the Capitol Rotunda and National Cathedral
Sen. Lindsey Graham’s flag-draped casket arrived at the U.S. Capitol escorted by an Armed Forces Body Bearer Team, marking the beginning of two days of memorial services. Senate Majority Leader John Thune choked back tears while addressing lawmakers, calling Graham a towering figure who took his job seriously while remaining capable of cracking up a room.
Following the Capitol tribute, mourners moved to the Washington National Cathedral for a funeral service. President Donald Trump delivered remarks celebrating his former presidential rival turned ally as a giant of the United States Senate and a true American original. Cabinet officials, Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, and lawmakers filled the pews alongside Graham’s sister, newly appointed Sen. Darline Graham.
Global Presence Highlights Foreign Policy Legacy
The attendance of international leaders underscored Graham’s long career as an unapologetic foreign policy hawk and interventionist voice. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy traveled to Washington to pay their respects, reflecting Graham’s role as a foremost believer in the power of the U.S. and its military to intervene in global conflicts.
Graham was a vocal proponent of muscular American military power abroad, maintaining steadfast support for Israel and visiting Ukraine only a day before his death to mark his tenth trip to the country since Russia’s 2022 invasion. Fox News host Sean Hannity noted in his remarks that Graham would have been deeply moved by the long journeys made by international allies to attend the service.
Reflections on Political Adaptation and Longevity
Graham’s career traced a notable arc from his early opposition to Donald Trump during the 2016 Republican presidential primary—when he memorably criticized the future president on television—to becoming one of his staunchest Senate defenders and frequent golfing partners. Trump recalled how he once publicly disclosed Graham’s cellphone number on the campaign trail, only for the senator to respond by calling him repeatedly over the next decade.
“For more than 30 years, nothing of consequence happened in this capital without Lindsey Graham knowing about it. Nothing of significance happened anywhere in the world without Lindsey Graham having a view on it.”
Donald Trump, President
First elected to the House in the 1994 Republican revolution and moving to the Senate in 2002, Graham maintained his influence by staying close to power, television networks, and foreign policy debates until mortality ended his career.
Next Steps and State Memorials in South Carolina
Following the Washington services, Graham’s body will be flown to South Carolina for burial on Wednesday.
In recognition of his military service as an Air Force lawyer and member of South Carolina’s Air National Guard, Joint Base Charleston will be renamed in his honor, according to an Air Force official.
