Sen. Lindsey Graham's final journey through Washington begins Tuesday, drawing President Donald Trump, world leaders and congressional colleagues to honor the South Carolina Republican who shaped U.S. defense and foreign policy for decades before his sudden death at 71.
Graham's casket will enter the Capitol rotunda Tuesday morning under the ceremonial watch of the U.S. Capitol Police, a final recognition of his 27 years representing South Carolina in Congress. Unlike presidents and other national figures, Graham will not lie in state, but the brief private ceremony will be livestreamed, allowing Americans to witness the honor. An armed forces body bearer team will carry the casket in recognition of Graham's military service as an Air Force judge advocate general officer and colonel in the Air Force Reserve until his 2015 retirement.
At 2 p.m., an invitation-only funeral service at Washington National Cathedral will draw international attention. Trump, who spent his final conversations with Graham before the senator's death, plans to deliver remarks. Cabinet officials and military leaders will attend alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, both figures Graham counseled on foreign policy matters throughout his career. Trump is expected to hold separate meetings with both leaders Tuesday.
Graham died the night of July 11 after emergency personnel responded to a cardiac arrest call at his home near the Capitol. He had just returned from Kyiv, where he met with Zelenskyy, and was slated to appear on NBC's "Meet the Press" the following morning. The preliminary cause was determined to be an aortic dissection caused by arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease, though additional test results remain pending.
The senator's final services will conclude Wednesday in South Carolina, the state that launched his political career in 1993. Starting at roughly 10:45 a.m., residents can line a procession route at the State House in Columbia as Graham's casket travels on a horse-drawn military caisson. An F-16 flyover from the 169th Fighter Wing will salute his passing before the procession moves down Main Street to First Baptist Church of Columbia for a funeral service. A private family burial will follow in Pickens County, where Graham and his sister Darline were born.
Darline Graham now holds her brother's Senate seat after Gov. Henry McMaster appointed her to fill the remaining six months of his term. The newly minted senator announced her candidacy for a full term and faces an Aug. 11 primary while managing her brother's final arrangements and adjusting to her unexpected role in Congress. Graham, who chaired the Senate Budget Committee, leaves behind a legacy as one of Capitol Hill's most influential voices on military and global affairs.
Author Sarah Mitchell: "Graham's death marks the unexpected end of a rare political career, one that bridged both parties and touched some of the world's most consequential conflicts, from Ukraine to the Middle East."
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