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Lindsey Graham poisoned by Iran or Russia? Conspiracies run amok after US senator's sudden death
Lindsey Graham, 71, passed away on Saturday due to a “brief and sudden illness,” a statement from his office said.
US Senator Lindsey Graham's sudden death has sparked a series of conspiracy theories online, especially in President Donald Trump's MAGA camp. After influencer Laura Loomer raised questions regarding the South Carolina senator's untimely death, several theories have run amok on social media.
Lindsey Graham, 71, passed away on Saturday due to a “brief and sudden illness,” a statement from his office said. Two days before this news, the Republican senator was seen in Kyiv, Ukraine, where he met with President Volodymyr Zelensky and called for an end to the war with Russia.
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Graham poisoned?
Graham's Ukraine visit before his death has sparked a wave of speculation online, with several MAGA figures claiming that the US Senator may have been poisoned by Russia.
The theories were further fueled after Graham called for more sanctions against Russia and pledged more US support for Ukraine amid the ongoing war.
"Graham inspected a drone factory in Ukraine yesterday. Russia blew up that facility today. Then, tonight, it is announced that Graham is dead from a ‘sudden illness’," said MAGA podcaster Clint Russell on X.
On the other hand, many have suspected an Iranian hand in Graham's death. Former Fox News producer Kylie Jane Kremer highlighted the threats against the US senator from the IRGC.
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“The IRGC threatened to kill Senator Lindsey Graham just five days ago. There needs to be a full investigation into his death,” she wrote on X.
The theories gained more fuel after Iranian media carried a statement saying: “I congratulate the Iranian nation on warmongering anti-Iran US senator Lindsey Graham being sent to hell."
A possible Iranian link was also alleged by Laura Loomer, who was among the first from the MAGA camp to flag her concerns regarding Graham's death.
"5 days ago, Senator Lindsey Graham posted about how the IRGC threatened to assassinate him. They threatened to assassinate me and President Trump as well with matching posters of our faces held by IRGC operatives at Khameini’s funeral that called for our heads to roll," Loomer wrote on X, adding that his death does not feel like a coincidence.
No word from authorities
No evidence has been presented to support the viral claims on social media, and as of now, authorities have not suspected or indicated foul play in Graham's death.
Also Read | Lindsey Graham cause of death: How did South Carolina senator die? Office releases statement
However, as per local reports, Graham had a family history of heart disease. His father died of a heart attack at the age of 69, when Graham was 22.
Many have suspected a cardiac arrest-like event which may have caused Graham's death, especially as the statement from the senator's office mentioned "brief and sudden illness" as the cause of death.
