Early details have emerged on the cause of death for Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), who died late Saturday night after a “brief and sudden illness” at the age of 71.

A preliminary report from the Washington, D.C., medical examiner’s office listed Graham’s cause of death as aortic dissection due to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease, according to a report from The New York Times.

Aortic dissection is a tear in the aorta, the main artery that carries blood from the heart.

Arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease involves the gradual hardening and weakening of the arteries.

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The medical examiner’s office said Graham’s official death certificate remains pending while toxicological and microscopic testing are completed.

The cause and manner of death will be updated and classified after those tests are finished.

Graham Had Returned from Ukraine

Graham had returned earlier Saturday from a trip to Ukraine, where he met with President Volodymyr Zelensky and toured a Ukrainian arms facility.

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Later that evening, Graham spoke by phone with President Donald Trump.

Trump said the two discussed ongoing efforts to pass the SAVE America Act election integrity bill.

Graham had been scheduled to appear Sunday morning on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

Trump told the program that Graham sounded tired during their call but otherwise appeared to be in good health and spirits.

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Emergency medical services responded to Graham’s Capitol Hill townhouse in Washington, D.C., after a 911 call around 8:30 p.m.

The caller reported severe chest pains and requested immediate medical assistance.

The caller was traveling from Baltimore and en route to the residence.

The caller believed the front door was unlocked, but responders found it dead-bolted when they arrived, creating a brief delay in entry.

Cardiac Arrest Reported

Approximately 25 minutes later, dispatch audio indicated emergency personnel were on scene for a cardiac arrest with CPR in progress.

Graham was stabilized at the scene and transported to George Washington University Hospital.

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He was pronounced dead later that night.

After Graham’s death, Trump ordered American flags across the United States to be flown at half-staff until Saturday evening at 6 p.m.

Graham’s death shocked Washington because he had remained active in public life and was campaigning for another Senate term.

He had won the Republican primary for a fifth term in June.

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.@POTUS on the passing of Sen. Lindsey Graham: “He’s a tough one to lose. He was great — he was unique in every way… He was like a member of the family to me. It’s very tough.” pic.twitter.com/1ql4d8KD5j

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) July 12, 2026

Graham Served in Air Force Before Congress

Before entering elected office, Graham served on active duty in the U.S. Air Force from 1982 to 1989 as a member of the Judge Advocate General’s Corps.

He worked as a defense attorney and chief prosecutor in Europe.

Graham later served in the South Carolina Air National Guard and the U.S. Air Force Reserve.

He retired as a colonel in 2015.

Graham began his elected political career in the South Carolina House of Representatives, where he served from 1992 to 1994.

He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1994 as the first Republican from South Carolina’s 3rd congressional district since 1877.

He served in the House until 2003.

Graham was elected to the Senate in 2002 and reelected in 2008, 2014, and 2020.

Longtime Senate Voice on Defense

During more than three decades in Congress, Graham became one of the Senate’s most recognizable voices on national security and foreign policy.

He served on the Senate Judiciary Committee, chairing it from 2019 to 2021.

At the time of his death, he chaired the Senate Budget Committee.

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Graham also served on the Senate Appropriations Committee and the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.

Earlier in his congressional career, he served as one of the House managers during the 1998 impeachment proceedings against President Bill Clinton.

Graham was known for supporting a strong U.S. military role abroad, backing NATO, and advocating consistent aid to Ukraine and Israel.

He made multiple visits to Ukraine after Russia’s 2022 invasion and frequently worked with lawmakers from both parties on defense and national security legislation.

His death leaves a major vacancy in South Carolina politics and removes one of the Senate’s most prominent Republican voices on foreign policy.

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