Graham’s Funeral Draws Global Leaders

What's happened

Funeral services for Senator Lindsey Graham have taken place in Washington and South Carolina after his sudden death on July 11. President Donald Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky have attended memorials that have highlighted Graham’s influence on U.S. foreign policy and set off a scramble for his Senate seat in South Carolina.

What's behind the headline?

What the ceremonies reveal

• The high-profile attendance — including President Trump, Benjamin Netanyahu and Volodymyr Zelensky — shows Graham has been central to the U.S. foreign-policy consensus on Israel and Ukraine. That network of allies has been active in the days following his death.

Political consequences in South Carolina

• The appointment of Darline Graham has consolidated an immediate advantage for the Graham family in the race to keep the seat. The special Republican primary on Aug. 11 will force a short, intense campaign where candidates will try to distance themselves from parts of Graham’s record while claiming his legacy.

Policy momentum he leaves behind

• Graham has been pushing new sanctions on Russia and aggressive policies on Iran in his final days. His death will not stop those legislative efforts: colleagues are advancing a sanctions package and will use the coming votes to carry forward elements of his agenda.

What to watch next

• Expect the Aug. 11 primary to sharpen divisions between establishment conservatives and more hard-line MAGA-aligned challengers. The outcome will shape Senate votes on Ukraine funding and sanctions in the coming months.

Bottom line

• Graham has left behind a durable foreign-policy coalition and an immediate political vacancy that will reconfigure South Carolina Republican politics in the short term.

How we got here

Senator Lindsey Graham has died suddenly on July 11, aged 71. He has been a prominent Senate hawk on Israel, Ukraine and Iran, served more than three decades in Congress and had shifted from critic to close ally of President Trump. South Carolina’s governor has appointed Graham’s sister, Darline Graham, to serve temporarily; a special Republican primary is set for Aug. 11.

Our analysis

The New York Times reported on the private and public moments at First Baptist Church in Columbia and noted that nine candidates have qualified for the fast-moving special primary; the Times quoted family and local figures describing how candidates are trying to define themselves quickly (Emily Davies, New York Times Business). The New York Times has also emphasised Graham’s national prominence and complicated standing with South Carolina Republicans, noting he had won renomination on June 9 and that the special Republican primary will be on Aug. 11 (New York Times Business, 29 July). The Independent offered granular scenes from the Columbia service, including Trey Gowdy’s long eulogy and a horse-drawn caisson and military flyover, and described how Graham’s South Carolina roots shaped his politics (Independent, 29–28 July). International outlets highlighted the global reach of his funeral. The Times of Israel and Al Jazeera recorded President Trump’s eulogy and attendance by Netanyahu and Zelenskyy, stressing Graham’s hawkish foreign-policy reputation and his final push for sanctions on Russia (The Times of Israel, Al Jazeera). The Guardian and BBC underscored the political theatre of Trump delivering a eulogy and his public endorsement of Darline Graham; the Guardian quoted Trump calling Graham "a true American original" and described how the service reinforced Graham’s role as a Trump ally (The Guardian, BBC). AP and Bloomberg focused on the ceremonial programme at the Capitol Rotunda and the policy consequences, noting Senate leaders planned procedural votes on sanctions in tribute to Graham (AP News, Bloomberg). Across these accounts, reporters converge on three facts: Graham’s sudden death on July 11, the high-profile national and international turnout at Washington services, and the immediate political contest to replace him in South Carolina. Coverage differs in tone: the Independent and New York Times emphasise local scenes and personal anecdotes, while outlets such as Al Jazeera and The

Go deeper

• Who has officially entered the Aug. 11 Republican primary to replace Graham?
• How will Darline Graham’s appointment affect conservative primary voters in South Carolina?
• Which elements of Graham’s sanctions push on Russia will the Senate vote advance first?

More on these topics

• Lindsey Graham - United States Senator

  Lindsey Olin Graham is an American politician, affiliated to the Republican Party, who serves as the senior United States Senator from South Carolina, a seat he has held since 2003.

• Donald Trump - 45th and 47th U.S. President

  Donald John Trump is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party, he served as the 45th president from 2017 to 2021.

• Ukraine - Country in Europe

  Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which borders it to the east and northeast.

• South Carolina - US State

  South Carolina is a state in the Southeastern United States and the easternmost of the Deep South. It is bordered to the north by North Carolina, to the southeast by the Atlantic Ocean, and to the southwest by Georgia across the Savannah River.

• Benjamin Netanyahu - Prime Minister of Israel

  Benjamin Netanyahu is an Israeli politician serving as Prime Minister of Israel since 2009, and previously from 1996 to 1999. Netanyahu is also the Chairman of the Likud – National Liberal Movement.

• Washington National Cathedral - Neo-Gothic cathedral located in Washington, D.C.

  The Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul in the City and Episcopal Diocese of Washington, commonly known as Washington National Cathedral or National Cathedral, is a cathedral of the Episcopal Church. The cathedral is located in Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. The structure is of Neo-Gothic design closely modeled on English Gothic style of the late fourteenth century. It is the second-largest church building in the United States, and the third-tallest building in Washington, D.C. The cathedral is the seat of both the presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church and the bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington. Over 270,000 people visit the structure annually. The Protestant Episcopal Cathedral Foundation, under the first seven bishops of Washington, erected the cathedral under a charter passed by the United States Congress on January 6, 1893. The foundation stone was laid on September 29, 1907 in the presence of President Theodore Roosevelt and a crowd of more than 20,000. The cathedral was completed 83 years later, after several phases of construction and yearslong interruptions, in the presence of President George H. W. Bush on September 29, 1990. Decorative...

• Sean Hannity - American commentator

  Sean Patrick Hannity is an American talk show host and conservative political commentator. Hannity is the host of The Sean Hannity Show, a nationally syndicated talk radio show. He also hosts a commentary program, Hannity, on Fox News.

• Russia - Country

  Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country located in Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. Covering an area of 17,125,200 square kilometres, it is the largest country in the world by area, spanning more than one-eighth of the Earth's in

• Iran (Islamic Republic of Iran) - Country in the Middle East

  Iran, also called Persia, and officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered to the northwest by Armenia and Azerbaijan, to the north by the Caspian Sea, to the northeast by Turkmenistan, to the east by Afghanistan a

• United States - Country in North America

  The United States of America, commonly known as the United States or America, is a country mostly located in central North America, between Canada and Mexico.

• Israel - Country in the Middle East

  Israel, formally known as the State of Israel, is a country in Western Asia, located on the southeastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea and the northern shore of the Red Sea.

• United States Capitol - Building in Washington, D.C., United States

  The United States Capitol, often called the Capitol Building, is the home of the United States Congress and the seat of the legislative branch of the U.S. federal government.

• Washington, D.C. - Capital of the United States of America

  Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington or D.C., is the capital of the United States.

• Fox News - Television channel

  The Fox News Channel, commonly known as Fox News, is an American multinational conservative news and political commentary television channel and website based in New York City, U.S.

• Columbia - Capital of South Carolina, United States

  Columbia is the capital city of the U.S. state of South Carolina. With a population of 136,632 at the 2020 census, it is the second-most populous city in South Carolina. The city serves as the county seat of Richland County, and a portion of the city...

• John Thune - United States Senator

  John Randolph Thune is an American politician serving as the senior United States Senator from South Dakota, a seat he was first elected to in 2004. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as the U.S. Representative for South Dakota's at-la

• Adam Schiff - U.S. Representative

  Adam Bennett Schiff is an American politician serving as the U.S. Representative for California's 28th congressional district since 2001. He is a member of the Democratic Party.

• Family Research Council - Nonprofit organization

  Family Research Council is an American fundamentalist Protestant activist group, with an affiliated lobbying organization. Its stated mission is "to advance faith, family and freedom in public policy and the culture from a Christian worldview".

• Iraq War - Armed conflict

  The Iraq War was a protracted armed conflict that began in 2003 with the invasion of Iraq by a United States-led coalition that overthrew the government of Saddam Hussein.

• Washington - Capital of the United States of America

  Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and also known as D.C. or Washington, is the capital city of the United States of America.

• Kyiv - Capital and largest city of Ukraine

  Kyiv, also Kiev, is the capital and most populous city of Ukraine. Located in the north-central part of the country, it straddles both banks of the Dnieper River. As of January 2022, the population of Kyiv was 2,952,301, making it the seventh-most populou

• Volodymyr Zelenskyy - President of Ukraine

  Volodymyr Oleksandrovych Zelenskyy is a Ukrainian politician, actor and comedian who is the 6th and current president of Ukraine, serving since May 2019.

• John McCain - Former United States Senator

  John Sidney McCain III was an American politician and military officer, who served as a United States Senator for Arizona from 1987 until his death in 2018.

• Henry McMaster - Governor of South Carolina

  Henry Dargan McMaster is an American politician, attorney and member of the Republican Party, who is the 117th Governor of South Carolina, in office since January 24, 2017.

• Hillary Clinton - Former United States Secretary of State

  Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton is an American politician, diplomat, lawyer, writer, and public speaker who served as the 67th United States Secretary of State from 2009 to 2013, as a United States Senator from New York from 2001 to 2009, and as First Lady o

• United States Senate

  The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, which, along with the United States House of Representatives—the lower chamber—constitutes the legislature of the United States.

• NATO

  The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 North American and European countries.

• Türkiye (Turkey) - Country in the Middle East

  Turkey, officially the Republic of Turkey, is a transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolian peninsula in Western Asia, with a smaller portion on the Balkan peninsula in Southeastern Europe.

• Vladimir Putin - Russian President

  Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin is a Russian politician and former intelligence officer who has served as President of Russia since 2012, previously holding the position from 1999 until 2008.

• Mark Sanford - American politician (born 1960)

  Marshall Clement "Mark" Sanford Jr. (born May 28, 1960) is an American politician and author who served as the U.S. representative for South Carolina's 1st congressional district from 1995 to 2001 and from 2013 to 2019, and as the 115th governor of South.