President Donald Trump appeared visibly emotional while reflecting on the death of longtime friend and political ally Sen. Lindsey Graham during a recent interview, offering one of his most personal public tributes yet to the late South Carolina Republican.
While discussing the final conversation the two shared before Graham’s unexpected death, Trump paused several times and appeared to fight back emotion as he recalled learning the news early the following morning.
“Around the time. It couldn’t have been much longer. It could have been his last call. I don’t know exactly, but I got a message about 1 o’clock in the morning from one of the people at his office that he had passed away,” Trump said.
“I said, ‘I can’t believe it.’ He was like a member of the family to me. It’s very tough, actually. It’s amazing.”
“He was such an advocate. He was, you know, if he wanted to get something… And, you know, he had a unique ability. He was able to deal with Democrats and Republicans.”
“If I had a problem, a real problem, I wouldn’t often ask. But if I had a problem with a Democrat, he could work it out. He was a great politician, actually.”
WATCH:
The remarks marked one of the rare occasions where Trump appeared to become emotional during a televised interview, underscoring the close friendship the two men developed over the past decade despite their rocky political beginnings.
Graham died Saturday at the age of 71 after what his office initially described as a “brief and sudden illness,” prompting an outpouring of tributes from colleagues, world leaders and President Trump. One of the Senate’s most influential voices on national security and foreign policy, Graham had represented South Carolina in the Senate since 2003 and was seeking a fifth full term in office.
According to preliminary findings released by the District of Columbia medical examiner, Graham died from an aortic dissection caused by arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease. An aortic dissection occurs when the inner layer of the body’s main artery tears, creating a life-threatening medical emergency. Officials said additional toxicology and microscopic testing will be completed before a final death certificate is issued, though preliminary findings identified the cardiovascular event as the cause of death.
Emergency responders were dispatched to Graham’s Capitol Hill residence Saturday evening following reports of a cardiac arrest. First responders attempted lifesaving measures before transporting the senator, but he could not be revived. His office later asked for privacy on behalf of his family while thanking supporters for their prayers during the difficult time.
Graham’s death came just hours after he returned from a congressional trip to Ukraine, where he met with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and discussed continued U.S. support for the country’s war effort. He had also been scheduled to appear on NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday morning. In the days leading up to his death, Graham remained actively involved in Senate negotiations over national security legislation and sanctions targeting Russia.
The relationship between Trump and Graham evolved dramatically over the years. After initially criticizing Trump during the 2016 Republican presidential primary, Graham became one of the president’s closest allies and most vocal defenders in the Senate, particularly on judicial confirmations, border security and foreign policy.
Before entering the Senate, Graham served four terms in the U.S. House of Representatives and spent decades in the U.S. Air Force and Air Force Reserve as a judge advocate, retiring with the rank of colonel. At the time of his death, he chaired the Senate Budget Committee and remained one of the Republican Party’s most recognizable figures on Capitol Hill.
