World Leaders Pay Tribute at Lindsey Graham's Funeral Services

WHO:

AP - Former Rep. Trey Gowdy described Graham as someone who “was born with a plastic fork in his mouth.”

AP - Republican Gov. Henry McMaster stated, “Lindsey Graham understood the hopes and dreams and needs of his state and delivered every time.”

AP - Democratic U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn read Psalm 23 during the funeral.

WMUR - Vice President JD Vance described Graham as a man of “swashbuckling" stature during the memorial services.

WMUR - Trump Cabinet officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, attended the memorial services.

Al Jazeera - Graham was elected to the US Senate in 2002 and re-elected in 2008, 2014, and 2020. He was also elected to the US House of Representatives in 1994 for South Carolina’s third congressional district.

WMUR - Vice President JD Vance described Graham as a man of “swashbuckling" stature during the memorial services.

Al Jazeera - Lindsey Graham, Senator from South Carolina, died unexpectedly.

WMUR - President Donald Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and other world leaders attended Graham's funeral.

WMUR - Graham's sister, now-Senator Darline Graham, was appointed to fill the remainder of her brother's term.

WHAT:

AP - A horse-drawn caisson carrying Graham's casket paused for a flyover by four military jets during the funeral procession.

AP - Senators voted late Tuesday to advance a sanctions package against Russia as a final gesture for Graham.

WMUR - Graham's burial is scheduled for Wednesday in South Carolina.

WMUR - A procedural vote on a sanctions package against Russia was scheduled in Graham's honor, with Zelenskyy expected to meet with senators in the evening.

WMUR - Graham's casket was flag-draped during the tribute at the U.S. Capitol, where he served for more than 30 years.

WMUR - Trump described Graham as “the first person to make you laugh and one of the last people that you've really ever wanted to fight.”

WMUR - Senators were scheduled to take a first procedural vote on a sanctions package against Russia in Graham's honor.

Al Jazeera - Hundreds of mourners paid their respects at Graham's funeral service.

WMUR - Graham was eulogized as “a true American original” during memorial services.

WMUR - Trump described Graham as “a giant of the United States Senate” and “a true American original who left us much too soon.”

WMUR - Graham's casket was flag-draped during the tribute at the U.S. Capitol.

WMUR - Joint Base Charleston will be renamed in Graham's honor.

WMUR - A procedural vote on a sanctions package against Russia was scheduled in Graham's honor.

WHERE:

AP - Graham's funeral was held at First Baptist Church in Columbia, South Carolina.

WMUR - The funeral service took place at the Washington National Cathedral in Washington, DC.

Al Jazeera - The funeral service took place at the Washington National Cathedral in Washington, DC.

WMUR - Memorial services were held at the U.S. Capitol.

WHEN:

AP - The special primary election for Graham's seat is scheduled to take place in two weeks.

WMUR - The filing period for the special primary election closes Tuesday, with voting set for Aug. 11.

Al Jazeera - Lindsey Graham died on July 11.

WMUR - Burial is scheduled for Wednesday in Graham's home state of South Carolina.

WMUR - Voting for the special primary election is set for Aug. 11.

WHY:

AP - Graham was remembered for casting unpopular votes because they were the right thing to do.

Al Jazeera - Graham was a strong supporter of military action and U.S. intervention in global conflicts, including support for Ukraine after Russia's invasion in 2022.

WMUR - Graham's political legacy included a focus on national security and bipartisan cooperation.

HOW:

AP - Graham's burial was planned as a private ceremony near his home in Pickens County.

WMUR - Graham had just returned from a trip to a NATO summit in Turkey and a visit to Ukraine before his death.

WMUR - Graham had won Trump's support for a bipartisan proposal to impose sanctions on Russia over the war in Ukraine just days before his death.

WMUR - Trump recounted a story about publicly disclosing Graham's cellphone number during the campaign, highlighting their long friendship.

WMUR - Graham was known for his ability to adapt to political realities and was involved in numerous bipartisan efforts throughout his career.

(UPDATED July 29, 2026 19:26 UTC)

Lindsey Graham was honored at his funeral held at First Baptist Church in Columbia, South Carolina, where a horse-drawn caisson carrying his casket paused for a flyover by four military jets. Republican Governor Henry McMaster praised Graham for always understanding and delivering on the hopes and dreams of his state, while Democratic U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn read Psalm 23 during the service. In a final gesture, senators voted late Tuesday to advance a sanctions package against Russia, and a special primary election for Graham's seat is set to take place in two weeks.

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(UPDATED July 29, 2026 18:23 UTC)

During a memorial service held at the Washington National Cathedral in Washington, DC, Vice President JD Vance praised Graham as a man of “swashbuckling" stature, with several Trump Cabinet officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, in attendance. Graham's burial is set for Wednesday in South Carolina, and a procedural vote on a sanctions package against Russia is scheduled in his honor, with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy expected to meet with senators later in the evening. As a reminder, the filing period for the special primary election closes Tuesday, with voting taking place on August 11.

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(UPDATED July 29, 2026 11:42 UTC)

Tributes poured in for Senator Lindsey Graham, whose casket was flag-draped during a memorial service at the U.S. Capitol, where he served for over 30 years. Vice President JD Vance described Graham as a man of “swashbuckling" stature, while Trump recalled him as “the first person to make you laugh and one of the last people that you've really ever wanted to fight.” In a fitting tribute, senators were scheduled to take a first procedural vote on a sanctions package against Russia, a bipartisan effort Graham had championed just days before his passing.

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(UPDATED July 29, 2026 10:56 UTC)

Senator Lindsey Graham has died unexpectedly, prompting an outpouring of tributes from world leaders, including President Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who attended his funeral at the Washington National Cathedral. Hundreds of mourners paid their respects, with Trump describing Graham as “a giant of the United States Senate” and “a true American original who left us much too soon,” while memorial services were also held at the U.S. Capitol, where Graham's casket was flag-draped. In honor of his legacy, Joint Base Charleston will be renamed after him, and a procedural vote on a sanctions package against Russia is scheduled, reflecting Graham's strong support for military action and national security throughout his career.