Lindsey Graham, longtime Republican senator and Trump ally, dies at 71
US Senator Lindsey Graham has died at age 71 following a brief illness, according to his office. A prominent Republican and close ally of Donald Trump, Graham was known for his hawkish foreign policy and long tenure in the Senate.
Why it matters
The death of a senior US Senator creates a vacancy in the legislative branch and impacts the political balance of power in Washington.
<p>US Senator Lindsey Graham died after a “brief and sudden illness,” his office said in statement posted on social media.</p> <p>The office did not provide any additional details about the South Carolina Republican, who was 71 years old.</p> <p>“Senator Graham’s family appreciates prayers at this time and asks for privacy during this incredibly difficult period,” the statement said.</p> <p>Graham was elected to the US Senate in 2002 and was running for a fifth term. He had been a close ally of President Donald Trump and a longtime hawk on Iran.</p> <p>As a member of the US House in the 1990s, he backed policies aimed at isolating the country and limiting its missile and nuclear programmes.</p> <p>He also cheered on Trump’s decision to strike nuclear sites last year and had been been a supporter of the latest conflict that started a few months ago.</p> <p>The sparse statement by Graham’s office, which…
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