Authorities have determined a preliminary cause of death for former Senator Lindsey Graham, according to a new statement released from the late politician’s office.
As reported by the Associated Press and various other outlets on Sunday, July 12, Graham died “of aortic dissection due to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease.” An aortic dissection is also referred to as an aorta rupture, per the Mayo Clinic, which can occur when arteries harden over time.
News broke on July 11 that Graham, the longtime senator representing South Carolina, had died unexpectedly. He was 71.
“On the evening of Saturday, July 11, U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham passed away from a brief and sudden illness,” a rep for the politician wrote in a statement. “Senator Graham’s family appreciates prayers at this time and asks for privacy during this incredibly difficult period.”
Earlier that night, emergency services had reportedly responded to a call for “cardiac arrest” at Graham’s Washington, D.C. residence, according to NBC News.
Graham died one day before he was scheduled to make his 64th appearance on NBC’s Meet the Press.
“Senator Lindsey Graham was scheduled to appear on @MeetThePress this morning,” moderator Kristen Welker wrote via X early on July 12. “t would have been his 64th appearance on this broadcast. We are sending our deepest condolences to his family and colleagues.”
In light of Graham’s death, President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu joined the broadcast to “reflect on [the late politician’s] life and legacy.”
“As we reflect on the life and legacy of Senator Linsey Graham, we here at Meet the Press want to extend our deepest condolences to his friends, his family and his colleagues,” Welker, 50, began the episode. “Senator Graham was not only a fixture on Capitol Hill but on this broadcast as well. He was scheduled to appear on the show this morning for what would have been his 64th appearance.”
She continued, “Senator Graham was one of the show’s most frequent guests, second only to his dear friend, the late senator John McCain.” (McCain died in 2018 at the age of 81.)
John’s daughter, Meghan McCain, revealed in an X tribute of her own that she was 11 years old when she first met the “charming” Graham.
“I remember liking his deep Southern accent and smile and immediately felt comfortable around him,” Meghan, 41, wrote at the time. “He somehow seemed younger, hipper and more interesting than most of the political figures that rotated around my dad’s orbit. … The news of his sudden passing is shocking and deeply saddening for me and my family. Like many relationships in life, mine with Lindsey was complex in later years. I choose to remember the endless laughter and joy he brought to my family so many times, in so many ways.”
