Senator Lindsey Graham Died of a Ruptured Aorta

Republican US Senator Lindsey Graham died on Saturday at the age of 71 from an aortic dissection caused by arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease, according to preliminary findings from the District of Columbia medical examiner.

President Donald Trump said he had spoken to Graham only minutes before the South Carolina senator was taken ill and dismissed speculation about foul play. “He was a friend of mine, a great friend of mine, and it's very devastating losing him”, Trump said.

Trump ordered US flags to be flown at half-staff until the night of 18 July. Graham's death has effectively reduced the Republican Senate majority to 51 votes while Senator Mitch McConnell remains hospitalized after a fall and with mild pneumonia.

Graham was a prominent supporter of Ukraine and Israel. On Friday, less than two days before his death, he met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv to discuss Ukraine's air defense needs and legislation to tighten sanctions against Russia.

Although Graham was one of Trump's harshest critics during the 2016 presidential campaign, he later became one of the president's staunchest allies in the Senate.

(Reuters, bak)