{"id":965207,"date":"2026-07-28T19:37:23","date_gmt":"2026-07-28T19:37:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/965207\/"},"modified":"2026-07-28T19:37:23","modified_gmt":"2026-07-28T19:37:23","slug":"lindsey-graham-is-honored-with-ceremonies-in-washington","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/965207\/","title":{"rendered":"Lindsey Graham is honored with ceremonies in Washington"},"content":{"rendered":"

WASHINGTON (AP) \u2014 Sen. Lindsey Graham, the son of pool hall owners<\/a> who rose to become one of his generation\u2019s more influential U.S. politicians at home and abroad<\/a>, is being eulogized Tuesday as \u201ca true American original\u201d during memorial services in Washington.<\/p>\n

Graham\u2019s flag-draped casket arrived for a tribute at the U.S. Capitol, where the Republican served for more than 30 years as an indefatigable dealmaker who talked and laughed and badgered his colleagues into action. Later, President Donald Trump<\/a> joined guests including foreign leaders at Washington National Cathedral, a testament to Graham\u2019s stature on the global stage.<\/p>\n

Trump called Graham \u201ca giant of the United States Senate, a true American original who left us much too soon.\u201d<\/p>\n

In remarks the president described his onetime presidential rival turned ally as \u201cthe first person to make you laugh and one of the last people that you\u2019ve ever really wanted to fight.\u201d <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Senate<\/p>\n

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., attends a congressional tribute to late Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol, Tuesday, July 28, 2026, in Washington. (Tierney L. Cross\/Pool via AP)<\/p>\n

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., attends a congressional tribute to late Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol, Tuesday, July 28, 2026, in Washington. (Tierney L. Cross\/Pool via AP)<\/p>\n

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Trump told the story of how he had publicly disclosed Graham\u2019s cell phone number on the campaign trail, reciting the number in the cathedral, but said the senator had the last laugh because \u201cLindsey did not stop calling me for the next 10 years.\u201d<\/p>\n

Among those gathered were the leaders of two countries fighting separate wars, Israel\u2019s Benjamin Netanyahu<\/a> and Ukraine\u2019s Volodymyr Zelenskyy<\/a>, a nod to Graham\u2019s role as a foremost believer in the power of the U.S. and its military<\/a> to intervene in the world\u2019s problems. Trump Cabinet officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, as well as Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, senators and current and former lawmakers also joined in the pews.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s the start of two days of services, with burial Wednesday in Graham\u2019s home state of South Carolina. Joint Base Charleston will be renamed in his honor, the White House said. Graham died suddenly<\/a> on July 11 at his home in Washington of a likely aortic tear<\/a>, according to preliminary findings<\/a>. He had just returned from a whirlwind trip to a NATO summit in Turkey, where he celebrated his birthday, and a visit to Ukraine. He was 71. <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"An<\/p>\n

An Armed Forces Body Bearer Team moves the casket of Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., into the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol for a Congressional tribute Tuesday, July 28, 2026, in Washington.(Kenny Holston\/The New York Times via AP, Pool)<\/p>\n

An Armed Forces Body Bearer Team moves the casket of Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., into the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol for a Congressional tribute Tuesday, July 28, 2026, in Washington.(Kenny Holston\/The New York Times via AP, Pool)<\/p>\n

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A place of honor to \u2018say our final goodbyes\u2019 <\/p>\n

The morning service in the Capitol Rotunda<\/a> drew Vice President JD Vance<\/a>, other Trump administration officials and lawmakers as well as Graham\u2019s sister, now- Sen. Darline Graham<\/a>, who was appointed by the state\u2019s governor<\/a> to fill the remainder of her brother\u2019s term.<\/p>\n

Vance described Graham as a man of \u201cswashbuckling\u201d stature \u2014 \u201cwho swashbuckled into the Senate\u201d with his suit jacket open \u2014 and was impossible not to like.<\/p>\n

\u201cLindsey was a towering figure,\u201d Senate Majority Leader John Thune said, choking back tears during his remarks.<\/p>\n

First elected to Congress<\/a> in the 1994 Republican revolt that swept the GOP to power, Graham was part of a new era of conservatives to take their seats in the House \u2014 and among the first Republicans from his Southern state since Reconstruction.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

A guest looks at the program during the service for Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol, Tuesday, July 28, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo\/Allison Robbert)<\/p>\n

A guest looks at the program during the service for Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol, Tuesday, July 28, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo\/Allison Robbert)<\/p>\n

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He quickly rose to prominence as a manager in Democrat Bill Clinton\u2019s presidential impeachment, and he was elected to the Senate in the 2002 election. There, he formed an alliance with Sen. John McCain, a Republican from Arizona, and Sen. Joe Lieberman, an independent from Connecticut, in what would become the \u201cthree amigos,\u201d globe-trotting the world focused on national security issues. <\/p>\n

Vance described how he argued with Graham over the senator\u2019s staunch support for aid to Ukraine, which has divided the GOP, but praised his legacy saying Kavanaugh \u201cwould not be on the Supreme Court\u201d were it not for Graham\u2019s \u201cfierce advocacy\u201d during the confirmation hearing.<\/p>\n

For decades, Graham had been at the center of the action<\/a> \u2014 a member of virtually every bipartisan gang in Congress \u2014 with a relentless ability to shapeshift and adapt to political realities, particularly when it came to Trump.<\/p>\n

One by one, many of Graham\u2019s colleagues said their goodbyes in the Rotunda. Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala, placed both hands on his casket and then placed her hand on her heart. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., saluted from her wheelchair. Former Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., bowed and delivered a brief kiss and Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., gave a fist bump.<\/p>\n

\"Israeli<\/p>\n

\n Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, center, speaks to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, right, as Secretary of State Marco Rubio, left, greets Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., before the funeral of Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., Tuesday July 28, 2026, at the Washington National Cathedral in Washington. (AP Photo\/Jacquelyn Martin)\n <\/p>\n

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, center, speaks to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, right, as Secretary of State Marco Rubio, left, greets Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., before the funeral of Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., Tuesday July 28, 2026, at the Washington National Cathedral in Washington. (AP Photo\/Jacquelyn Martin)<\/p>\n

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\"President<\/p>\n

\n President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and other guests attend the funeral of Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., Tuesday July 28, 2026, at the Washington National Cathedral in Washington. (AP Photo\/Jacquelyn Martin)\n <\/p>\n

President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and other guests attend the funeral of Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., Tuesday July 28, 2026, at the Washington National Cathedral in Washington. (AP Photo\/Jacquelyn Martin)<\/p>\n

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The \u2018Trump whisperer\u2019 had one last mission: Russia sanctions<\/p>\n

Perhaps nowhere was Graham\u2019s political dexterity on display more as when he navigated his on-again, off-again relationship<\/a> with Trump.<\/p>\n

Graham had denounced Trump as a \u201ckook\u201d who was \u201cunfit for office\u201d<\/a> when the two were early rivals during the 2016 presidential primary campaign.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Sen.<\/p>\n

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., pauses as he speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, March 25, 2019. (AP Photo\/Carolyn Kaster, File)<\/p>\n

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., pauses as he speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, March 25, 2019. (AP Photo\/Carolyn Kaster, File)<\/p>\n

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Once Trump was elected, Graham gradually situated himself alongside the new president \u2014 until Trump sparked the mob who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021<\/a>, trying to overturn Democrat Joe Biden\u2019s election<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cCount me out. Enough is enough,\u201d Graham said that night in a fiery floor speech.<\/p>\n

Weeks later, Trump invited Graham to his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, rekindling their alliance. The senator had said he wanted the president to be successful, and as Trump won a second term in 2024, Graham also wanted to remain relevant.<\/p>\n

Graham had become what Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., called the \u201cTrump whisperer,\u201d someone other senators \u2014 and even world leaders \u2014 relied on to understand the president\u2019s thinking.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"President<\/p>\n

President Donald Trump and Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., right, play golf at Trump National Golf Club in Sterling, Va., as seen from the other side of the Potomac River in Darnestown, Md., July 18, 2020. (AP Photo\/Manuel Balce Ceneta, File)<\/p>\n

President Donald Trump and Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., right, play golf at Trump National Golf Club in Sterling, Va., as seen from the other side of the Potomac River in Darnestown, Md., July 18, 2020. (AP Photo\/Manuel Balce Ceneta, File)<\/p>\n

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Days before his death, Graham had won Trump\u2019s support for a long-fought bipartisan proposal to impose sanctions on Russia<\/a> over the war in Ukraine, one of the strongest U.S. efforts yet to hamper Russian President Vladimir Putin\u2019s ability to prolong the conflict.<\/p>\n

Senators were scheduled later Tuesday to take a first procedural vote to advance the sanctions package, in Graham\u2019s honor. Zelenskyy is expected to be on hand and meeting with senators in the evening.<\/p>\n

Graham\u2019s champions and potential successors <\/p>\n

At the Washington cathedral, Fox News\u2019 Sean Hannity delivered remarks and a roster of socially conservative and anti-abortion leaders are expected to participate in the services, including Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council, Marjorie Jones Dannenfelser of Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America and the Reverend William Franklin Graham III.<\/p>\n

Lindsey Graham never married, but he helped support his younger sister after both of his parents died while he was at college and then starting law school. He became the guardian for Darline, who was then 13, and he later in life often extolled the benefits of Social Security that helped keep them financially afloat.<\/p>\n

Darline Graham is now running in a potentially crowded primary field for the fall election. The filing period for the special primary election closes Tuesday, with voting set for Aug. 11.<\/p>\n

Graham went on to serve as a judge advocate general in the Air Force, and remained a reserve or National Guard member for decades. In the Senate, Graham briefly switched back to active status to help advise the Air Force during the Iraq War. He was awarded the Bronze Star medal for service in 2014 before formally retiring as a colonel in 2015.<\/p>\n

___<\/p>\n

Associated Press writers Kevin Freking and Michelle L. Price contributed to this story.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"WASHINGTON (AP) \u2014 Sen. Lindsey Graham, the son of pool hall owners who rose to become one of…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":965208,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[33],"tags":[7373,38853,372,7096,26452,185,1226,12785,84,69,90,171,327218,14414,57,2055,2066,82,374880,12790,8121,34427,173764,16541,410,387827,8132,6986,80,327107,16816,32857,101433,3036,223750,174871,184850,24922,89,61,322,273,67,370,96561,132,68,274,3656,93,107],"class_list":["post-965207","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-celebrities","tag-2026-elections","tag-adam-schiff","tag-benjamin-netanyahu","tag-bill-clinton","tag-brett-kavanaugh","tag-celebrities","tag-conservatism","tag-dc-wire","tag-district-of-columbia","tag-donald-trump","tag-elections","tag-entertainment","tag-franklin-graham","tag-funerals-and-memorial-services","tag-general-news","tag-government-and-politics","tag-jd-vance","tag-joe-biden","tag-joe-lieberman","tag-john-f-kennedy","tag-john-thune","tag-john-mccain","tag-katie-britt","tag-lindsey-graham","tag-marco-rubio","tag-marjorie-jones-dannenfelser","tag-military-and-defense","tag-pete-hegseth","tag-politics","tag-richard-burr","tag-sanctions-and-embargoes","tag-sc-state-wire","tag-sean-hannity","tag-south-carolina","tag-susan-b-anthony","tag-tammy-duckworth","tag-tony-perkins","tag-turkey","tag-u-s-democratic-party","tag-u-s-news","tag-u-s-republican-party","tag-ukraine","tag-united-states","tag-united-states-government","tag-united-states-senate","tag-unitedstates","tag-us","tag-vladimir-putin","tag-volodymyr-zelenskyy","tag-washington-news","tag-world-news"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":"Validation failed: Text character limit of 500 exceeded"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/965207","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=965207"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/965207\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/965208"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=965207"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=965207"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=965207"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}