In Death, Lindsey Graham Still Shapes World Stage

World leaders gathered in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday to honor the life and legacy of Lindsey Graham. Memorials took place across the city throughout the day, sparking foreign policy meetings at the White House and trade deals as the Senate prepared to vote on a Russia sanctions bill in the evening.

President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, congressional leaders, Cabinet members, and Graham’s family attended invitation-only memorial services at the U.S. Capitol and the Washington National Cathedral.

Late U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina died on July 11, 2026, from a torn aorta at age 71. On Tuesday morning, his casket was carried through the Capitol Rotunda for a service honoring his time in the military and as a U.S. senator. Vice President JD Vance and Senate Majority Leader John Thune gave remarks.

“Lindsey Graham could make anybody laugh, and he could make anybody feel at home,” Vance said. “It was impossible not to like him. That swashbuckling, infectious laugh, that attitude, that passion that so many others have talked about. Lindsey Graham was impossible not to like as a human being, and of course, as a United States senator.”

The vice president continued, speaking highly of Graham’s character and recounting stories from their time together in the Senate and on the campaign trail.

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“Because he loved people, he saw that the Senate, at its very best, could be a deliberate body geared toward persuading people, and that’s what he did,” Vance said, crediting Graham with the Senate’s confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.

Later in the afternoon, Trump, Zelenskyy, and Netanyahu attended a service at the National Cathedral following their separate meetings at the White House. The president gave a tribute, followed by Sean Hannity, and also Graham’s niece, Emillie Boggs Roberts.

“Scripture tells us, ‘Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life.’ For 71 years, Lindsey Graham was strong and steadfast,” Trump said. “Lindsey, we love you. God bless you. We will always be with you, and you were very, very special.”

“Lindsey Graham believed in a strong America,” Trump added. “He had unwavering faith in the righteousness of American power. … He felt in his bones that our destiny is to win, and that his job was to do everything he could to ensure our enemies would lose.”

“It’s a testament to his towering impact that among those mourning him here today are leaders, presidents, and prime ministers from all over the globe,” Trump continued.

The Russia sanctions bill, which Graham worked on up until his death, has been renamed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 ahead of its first vote.

Though it has 62 co-sponsors and will likely pass with ease in the Senate, Zelenskyy is set to meet with senators Tuesday evening ahead of the first procedural vote to get skeptical Democrats on board.

Since Graham’s passing, the legislation, meant to apply pressure to Russia’s energy economy amid Moscow’s continued invasion of Ukraine, has been amended and trimmed down. The original 500% sanction on countries that buy Russian oil and gas has been reduced to 100% and will affect only the top five importers.

The White House will have the authority to waive sanctions if it can prove a national security justification.