Trump reveals last words Lindsey Graham said to him HOURS before his unexpected death at 71

President Donald Trump shared his last conversation with Senator Lindsey Graham, claiming it was the veteran Republican’s final political wish before his unexpected death at age 71 on Saturday night.

In an interview on NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday morning, Trump revealed that Graham was “like a member of the family” to him and that the two spoke by phone Saturday night.

Trump also revealed that Graham called him to discuss passage of the SAVE America Act, which Graham co-sponsored in the US Senate.

‘He actually said he was tired, but he wanted to pass the RELIEVE America Act, and I said, ‘Okay, we’ll get this done, Lindsey.’ We will handle this. See you soon,” Trump said on Meet the Press.

The SAVE America Act was passed three times by the U.S. House of Representatives but was not passed by the Senate, where it needed 60 votes due to fraud.

In a separate interview with CNN on Sunday morning, Trump revealed to Jake Tapper that he would tell Graham about what he considers his best moment in the U.S. Senate: his defense of now-Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh during the confirmation process.

Graham’s office, who has represented South Carolina since 2002, announced early Sunday that the senator “passed away due to a brief and sudden illness.”

A ‘heart attack’ call was made to 911 from Graham’s home around 8:30 p.m., but an official cause of death has not been confirmed, according to multiple reports.

Graham was a close political ally of Donald Trump, who last year called the senator a “great friend.” Graham photographed with Trump at 2020 rally

Trump had previously paid tribute to the late Senator on Truth Social shortly after the announcement was made.

‘Senator Lindsey Graham, one of the greatest men and Senators I have ever known, is dead! He was always working and a true American Patriot. Lindsey will be greatly missed!!! DETAILS AND REGULATIONS WILL BE FOLLOWED. So sad!” Trump wrote on the Truth Social platform.

Graham was one of Trump’s closest allies in the U.S. Senate, consistently voting to enact the president’s agenda.

The senator was also a staunch supporter of Ukraine and Israel and advised the president on foreign policy issues regarding Russia and Iran.

In late March 2025, just over a month after Trump took office, the president announced a lengthy endorsement of Graham, referring to the senator as a “great friend.”

On Saturday night, an ambulance and fire truck took Graham to the emergency room at George Washington Hospital.

Graham likewise called Trump his friend. Photographed with the president during a campaign visit in 2023

Trump released this tribute to Graham shortly after the senator’s office announced his death

‘Lindsey has been a great friend to me and has always been there when I needed her. As Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, Lindsey fought tirelessly to Grow the Economy, Lower Taxes, and Eliminate Government Waste, Trump wrote.

“Lindsey is also relentlessly focused on helping us Secure the Border, Stop Immigrant Crime, Strongly Support Our Great Military/Vets, Promote American Energy Dominance, defend the ever-under-siege Second Amendment, and secure PEACE THROUGH FORCE,” the President added.

The endorsement is still pinned on Graham’s official X account. The senator had responded by thanking the president and likewise referring to him as a friend.

Graham responded to this endorsement in part: “On a professional level, I’m proud to have been there at the beginning, when President Trump, through sheer force of will, pulled off the greatest political comeback in American history.”

‘I really enjoy our friendship on a personal level. “He is a great golf buddy that I have yet to beat,” the senator added.

Graham’s death came just days after he visited Ukraine and met with the country’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, to discuss the ongoing Russian occupation.

It appears that his meeting with the Ukrainian leader was his last public appearance. There were no known concerns for his health before his trip to the embattled country.

Graham later announced that an agreement had been reached with Trump to advance bipartisan legislation targeting countries that buy energy from Russia; This has the potential to pave the way for stronger pressure on Moscow due to the war in Ukraine.

Graham’s death came just days after he visited Ukraine and met with the country’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky. The two were seen together at that meeting

Graham was in Ukraine to discuss the ongoing Russian occupation and announced that an agreement had been reached to develop legislation targeting countries that purchase Russian energy.

Earlier this year, Graham described Trump as ‘a great golf buddy who I have yet to beat’. The two were photographed playing golf together in November 2025

He most recently served as Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee and as a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, the Senate Judiciary Committee, and the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.

Graham also applauded Trump’s decision to strike Iran’s nuclear facilities last year and was a supporter of the latest conflict, which began several months ago.

Israeli and Ukrainian leaders publicly mourned Graham’s death shortly after it was announced; This reflected the senator’s strong support for both countries.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the following in his post on the X channel: ‘Israel has lost one of its greatest friends. America has lost a great patriot. I lost a dear friend.

‘Lindsey understood that the security of Israel and America were inseparable. ‘He dedicated his life to defending America, strengthening our alliance, and defending the free world.’

Following Graham’s death, Zelensky wrote on social media: ‘A staunch advocate of bipartisan and bicameral support for Ukraine, Zelensky had been working in recent weeks on key initiatives that could help bring peace closer, including stronger sanctions against Russia.

‘We will always be especially grateful for our people’s recognition and words of admiration for the courage of Ukraine’s defenders. ‘America and the world have lost a determined leader.’

Former President George Bush also made a statement saying that he and his wife were ‘saddened’ by the shocking news of Senator Lindsey Graham’s death.

Graham was an ardent supporter of Israel, and the country’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mourned the senator’s death on social media. There are photos of the two shaking hands

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky gifted Graham a vyshyvanka, a traditional Slavic embroidered shirt, during his recent visit. Zelensky also mourned Graham’s death online

‘He was a knowledgeable senator who understood how the world worked and how important America’s international involvement against tyranny was. “Bush was a kind and funny man who loved our country and loved serving it,” he wrote.

‘South Carolina was lucky to have such a committed public servant in its corner. And I was lucky to know Lindsey Graham,” the former president added.

Graham was elected to the House of Representatives in 1994 before serving in the Senate.

His status as a long-term bachelor who had never married or had children in decades had fueled rumors about his sexuality, but he consistently and emphatically denied being gay and regularly opposed pro-LGBTQ+ laws.

As a member of the House of Representatives in the 1990s, he supported policies aimed at isolating Iran and limiting its missile and nuclear programs.

Graham also served on active duty in the United States Air Force for six and a half years as an Air Force attorney.

He then joined the South Carolina Air National Guard until 1995, during which time he was called to active duty in the Gulf War.

He joined the Air Force reserves where he attained the rank of Colonel before retiring in June 2015.

Born in July 1955 in Central, Pickens County, Graham came from humble beginnings and was the first member of his family to attend college.

He received his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of South Carolina and was a practicing Baptist.