FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed that the bureau stands ready to assist local law enforcement following the sudden death of U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham at his Washington D.C. home late Saturday evening. Graham was 71 years old.
Patel issued a statement honoring the longtime South Carolina senator, calling him "a devoted public servant, a fierce defender of our nation's security," and noting the FBI's readiness to provide support to authorities handling matters related to the senator's passing, as Trending Politics reported.
Graham's office described the cause of death as a "brief and sudden illness." Emergency services responded to a cardiac arrest call at his Capitol Hill residence, where medical responders performed CPR following reports of chest pains. Reports indicate the senator had returned earlier that day from a trip to Ukraine, because of course Lindsey Graham was in Ukraine. The man visited that country more often than some people visit their dentist. All available information attributes the death to natural causes, with no indications of foul play.
Graham served in the Senate since 2003, following prior terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. He was a prominent voice on foreign policy and national security, which is a polite way of saying he never met a defense spending bill he did not want to enthusiastically embrace. Over the years, Graham evolved from occasional Trump critic to one of the president's most reliable allies, a transformation so complete it could have been studied by marine biologists researching adaptation.
President Trump ordered flags flown at half-staff nationwide in Graham's honor and issued a statement that was, by Trump standards, genuinely heartfelt.
"Senator Lindsey Graham, one of the greatest people and Senators I have ever known, is dead! He was always working, and was a true American Patriot. Lindsey will be greatly missed," the president said.
Trump also noted in interviews that he had spoken with Graham just hours before the senator's death, describing him as sounding tired but otherwise in good spirits, and referred to Graham as "like a member of the family."
Say what you will about the man's political zigzags over the years, but Graham was a workhorse in the Senate for over two decades. He started as John McCain's sidekick, pivoted to Trump's golf buddy, and never once stopped being the guy who would appear on any Sunday morning talk show that would have him. The man loved a camera and a microphone the way most people love oxygen.
Tributes have poured in from lawmakers, world leaders, and administration officials, many highlighting Graham's legislative record on defense issues and his longstanding commitment to public service. Whatever your opinion of his politics, the guy dedicated his entire adult life to government service, which is either admirable or a cautionary tale depending on your perspective.
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