US Senator, Trump Ally Lindsey Graham Dies at 71

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, a prominent ally of former President Donald Trump, has died at the age of 71 following a brief illness, his office announced.

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a true American Patriot who will be greatly missed

Graham, who represented South Carolina in the Senate since 2002, was a significant voice on foreign policy. He recently returned from Kyiv, where he met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Despite Trump's more conciliatory stance towards Russia, Graham was a vocal advocate for arming Ukraine and imposing sanctions on Moscow.

Zelensky expressed deep sadness, noting Graham's consistent support for Ukraine, having visited the country 10 times since the full-scale Russian invasion. He described Graham as a "determined leader" who stood with Ukraine during its most critical moments.

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deeply saddened

Graham's relationship with Trump evolved significantly. He initially condemned Trump in 2015 as a "race-baiting, xenophobic, religious bigot" and predicted electoral disaster for Republicans if Trump was nominated. However, he later became one of Trump's staunchest defenders, voting against his impeachment in 2021 and supporting him in the 2024 election. Graham cited Trump's policies on the U.S. southern border, the killing of Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani, and judicial appointments as reasons for his continued support.

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America and the world have lost a determined leader

Known for his interventionist foreign policy, Graham consistently advocated for actions he believed protected U.S. national security interests. He supported military action in Iraq post-9/11 and opposed the U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, warning it would project weakness globally. He was also a staunch supporter of Israel.

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a race-baiting, xenophobic, religious bigot