From Trump critic to ally, Lindsey Graham was a political survivor of the Maga era
Longtime Republican Senator Lindsey Graham has died at age 71 following a sudden illness. His career was defined by his evolution from a traditional conservative to a prominent ally of Donald Trump.
Why it matters
Graham's death marks the end of a significant era in American politics and creates a major vacancy in the US Senate during a critical election year.
Image source, AP By Anthony Zurcher North America correspondent Published 12 July 2026 Lindsey Graham, who has died aged 71, was a political survivor.
His career as a Republican senator served as a telling barometer for the dramatically changing climate in his political party - and America - in the Donald Trump era.
While there were certain issues central to Graham's political identity – including a hawkish foreign policy that focused on containing Russian global ambitions, support for Israel and regime change in Iran – his 23-year career in the Senate was marked by a willingness to adapt to the gale-force change of political winds that accompanied Trump's rise to power.
Shortly after being elected to represent South Carolina in the Senate in 2002, Graham became a close ally of Senator John McCain, the Arizona Republican who, while a staunch conservative, developed a national reputation for political independence.
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