Funeral Services Planned in Washington and South Carolina for Late Senator Lindsey Graham
Senator Lindsey Graham, who transitioned from a critic to a prominent ally of Donald Trump, passed away at the age of 71 this month and will be commemorated through two days of memorial events. Congressional leadership has scheduled a Tuesday ceremony at the Capitol Rotunda, followed by an afternoon funeral service at the Washington National Cathedral, before services transition to his home state of South Carolina on Wednesday.
Schedule of Memorial Events and Ceremonies
The Capitol ceremony is set to begin at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, where Mr. Graham’s coffin will arrive carried by military service members and a Capitol Police memorial guard to honor his Air Force and congressional service. While closed to the public, the service will be livestreamed. Later that afternoon at 2 p.m., the coffin will move to the Washington National Cathedral for a closed service featuring President Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Following the cathedral service, his body will be flown to South Carolina for a final public procession from the State House to the First Baptist Church of Columbia ahead of a noon public funeral on Wednesday.
Political Record and Evolution
A former Air Force lawyer, Mr. Graham entered the House in 1994 before securing his Senate seat in 2002, building a legislative record focused heavily on foreign policy, strong support for Israel and Ukraine, and American military power overseas. Despite a 2016 presidential bid where he harshly criticized Mr. Trump as a “demagogue,” he quickly emerged by 2018 as one of the president’s closest Senate confidants. This proximity boosted his influence, allowing him to chair the Judiciary Committee from 2019 to 2021 and assume leadership of the Budget Committee in January 2025.
Tributes from Global and Congressional Leaders
Following his passing, Senate Majority Leader John Thune mourned Mr. Graham as a staunch conservative and fierce advocate whose presence in the Senate halls will be deeply missed. President Trump lauded him as a natural leader who got along with everybody, while Prime Minister Netanyahu recognized him as a foundational friend to Israel. Additionally, President Zelensky expressed profound sorrow over the loss of a steadfast defender of freedom who actively supported Ukraine throughout the ongoing war with Russia.
