President Donald Trump on Monday remembered Sen. Lindsey Graham as a «great guy» and a «workaholic politician» whose impassioned defense of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh during the 2018 confirmation hearings helped alter the course of American judicial history. In an interview on «Fox & Friends,» Trump reflected on Graham's unique ability to bridge partisan divides and his fierce loyalty during moments of political crisis.
«He was a great guy, and he was a friend,» Trump said. «He would call me all the time. He would just, I'd say, 'Stop calling me, Lindsey.' It was just amazing.» The president described Graham as someone who was beloved across the political spectrum, noting that «if I had Democrat problems, he could solve them.»
Trump specifically highlighted Graham's fiery speech before the Senate Judiciary Committee during the Kavanaugh hearings, which the president called «one of the greatest 10 moments of Congress.» Graham had denounced the proceedings as an «unethical sham,» a moment that Trump said «saved Brett from a very, very unfair decision.» Kavanaugh was ultimately confirmed to the Supreme Court in October 2018 after a contentious battle that galvanized both parties.
Graham, 71, died unexpectedly late Saturday after a «brief and sudden illness.» Preliminary findings from the District of Columbia's Office of the Chief Medical Examiner identified the cause of death as an aortic dissection due to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Aortic dissection occurs when a tear develops in the inner wall of the aorta, the body's main artery, and is considered a life-threatening medical emergency. The death certificate remains pending until toxicological and microscopic testing are completed.
According to a report from Axios, Graham reportedly delayed seeking medical attention because he wanted to fulfill his scheduled appearance on NBC's «Meet the Press.» In what may have been his final conversation, Graham told an unnamed source that he was feeling unwell but insisted on waiting until after the television interview. «I can't die now. I still need to do the Russia sanctions, get Iran sorted out and do Israeli-Saudi normalization,» Graham said, according to the report.
Trump, who spoke with Graham shortly before his death, said he believed he might have been the last person to talk with the senator. «I don't know exactly, but I got a message about 1 in the morning from one of the people in his office that he had passed away. I said, 'I just can't believe it,'» Trump told NBC's «Meet the Press.» «He was like a member of the family to me. It's very tough, actually.»
Graham's death prompted an outpouring of tributes from lawmakers and media figures across the political aisle. Allies and adversaries alike offered condolences, recognizing his decades of service in the Senate. Graham, a Republican from South Carolina, rose from small-town roots to become a powerful figure in the GOP, known for his work on foreign policy, national security, and judicial confirmations.
Trump closed his interview by emphasizing the broader impact of Graham's loss. «We lost a great man. He was a great man. He was a great politician, and he was a kind man,» he said. «And you know who really lost? Israel, Ukraine, a lot of countries that he really fought for. And they lost somebody who was very special. But the real loser was the United States of America. We lost a great person, a kind person, very smart person.»
Graham's legacy is now being remembered not only for his legislative achievements but also for the defining moment of the Kavanaugh hearings, which Trump argued reshaped the Supreme Court for generations. The senator's willingness to cross party lines and his passionate defense of judicial nominees have become central to his political story.