President Donald Trump delivered a eulogy on Tuesday for the late U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham at Washington National Cathedral, praising his former primary opponent turned staunch companion as “a giant of the United States Senate, a true American original who left us much too soon”. The invitation-only memorial service brought together prominent lawmakers, senior administration officials, and international figures, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, highlighting the South Carolina Republican’s decades-long footprint on foreign affairs. Graham passed away on July 11 at age 71 from an aortic dissection following a journey to Kyiv.
The tribute at the cathedral capped a solemn day of remembrance across the nation’s capital that began in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda. Vice President JD Vance recounted Graham’s “swashbuckling” presence in congressional hallways, while Senate Majority Leader John Thune described him as “a towering figure”. Colleagues from across the political spectrum paid their final respects at the casket. Among those present was the late lawmaker’s sister, Sen. Darline Graham, who was appointed to serve the remainder of his term.
During his address, Trump reminisced about their turbulent beginning during the 2016 Republican presidential primary campaign. The president recounted publicly broadcasting Graham’s private cellphone number to millions of viewers during a televised rally, drawing laughter from attendees as he recited the digits from the pulpit: “202-228-0292, if anybody wants to give it a shot”. He added that “Lindsey had the last laugh because while I blew up his phone all for one day, we became great friends, and Lindsey did not stop calling me for the next 10 years”.
Reflecting on Graham’s background, Trump traced his journey from his family’s pool hall in rural South Carolina to becoming “one of the most important men in the most important country on earth”. He noted the senator’s foreign policy approach, observing that “he never saw a war that he didn’t like”, but emphasized that his positions stemmed from “unwavering faith in the righteousness of American power and prayer”. The president concluded his remarks by honoring Graham “As a brother, a senator, a warrior, and a patriot”.
Other prominent voices at the cathedral included television host Sean Hannity, who described Graham as “a man driven by principle”. Commemorative proceedings will transition to Columbia, South Carolina, featuring a public procession, an F-16 flyover, and a memorial service prior to a private family burial in Pickens County.
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