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Lindsey Graham spoke to Trump in final hours, joked before death: 'I can’t die now'
Lindsey Graham and Donald Trump reportedly spoke by phone Saturday night, July 11, and the senator briefed the president on his recent trip to Ukraine.
Lindsey Graham reportedly spoke to Donald Trump in his final hours before he died, according to BNO News. The two spoke by phone Saturday night, July 11, and Graham briefed the president on his recent trip to Ukraine, and the Russia sanctions bill that he wanted the Senate to vote on.
Trump, on the other hand, told Graham that he was preparing to launch fresh strikes against Iran after an attack on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
A person who spoke to Graham after that said that he said he was not feeling well. On being urged to seek medical attention, he said he would do so Sunday morning after his appearance on NBC’s Meet the Press, which was already scheduled.
“I can’t die now. I still need to do the Russia sanctions, get Iran sorted out and do Israeli-Saudi normalization,” Graham reportedly joked.
He died a short time later, Axios reported.
Lindsey Graham’s death
Graham’s office announced his death in an X post.
“On the evening of Saturday, July 11, U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham passed away from a brief and sudden illness,” his office said in a statement on X. "Senator Graham’s family appreciates prayers at this time and asks for privacy during this incredibly difficult period.”
Graham’s office later said that preliminary findings from the D.C. medical examiner’s office found that he suffered from an aortic dissection, in which a tear occurs in the inner layer of the main artery. This was reportedly caused by arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease, per the statement. The tears generally occur when there is high blood pressure.
Also Read | US Senator Lindsey Graham, close aide of Trump, dies at 71
President Trump remembered Graham in a Truth Social post. “Senator Lindsey Graham, one of the greatest people and Senators I have ever known, is dead! He was always working, and was a true American Patriot. Lindsey will be greatly missed!!! DETAILS AND ARRANGEMENTS TO FOLLOW. So sad!” Trump wrote.
Graham was initially one of Trump’s most outspoken Republican critics. However, eventually, he became a close ally and frequent defender of the US President.
