WASHINGTON (Realist English). On July 28, a funeral service for Senator Lindsey Graham was held at the Washington National Cathedral. Graham passed away on July 11 at the age of 71 from cardiovascular disease.
President Donald Trump, who over the course of Graham’s political career went from a fierce rival to a close friend and ally, delivered a warm, heartfelt, and humorous eulogy.
The ceremony was attended by high‑ranking officials from around the world, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
“A True American Original”
Opening his speech, Trump called Graham a “true American original” and a “giant of the United States Senate.” He described him as a man who “lived life to the fullest” and gave America “every measure of his good and mighty heart, until that heart itself stopped.”
“Today we have gathered with the deepest gratitude and the greatest sorrow to honor a beloved friend, a devoted brother, a respected statesman, a giant of the United States Senate, and a true American original who left us too soon — and that could only be one single Lindsey Graham,” the president said.
Evolution of Friendship: From Rivalry to Family
Trump dwelt at length on the evolution of their relationship, which began with a bitter fight for the Republican presidential nomination in 2016. At the time, Graham called Trump “unfit for office” and publicly insulted him in a television interview. In response, Trump read out the senator’s personal phone number at a rally.
During his eulogy, Trump again recited the number — (202) 228-0292 — drawing laughter from the packed cathedral. “Naturally, I did what I shouldn’t have done. I shared his personal phone number with millions of people who were listening to me,” the president admitted.
However, according to Trump, it was precisely that incident that marked the beginning of their friendship. “Lindsey had the last laugh. Because although I blew up his phone in one day, we became great friends, and Lindsey kept calling me for the next 10 years,” Trump said.
The president noted that their relationship “started a little rough,” but later grew into a great friendship. “He really became, in a sense, a member of the family, and he was just someone very special,” Trump added.
“Not a Single War He Wouldn’t Have Liked”
In his speech, Trump also humorously characterised Graham as one of the most prominent hawks in the Republican Party. “He was extremely combative,” Trump said. “I tell you, he didn’t see a single war he wouldn’t have liked.”
At the same time, Trump stressed that Graham was guided by good intentions: “Only his true friends will understand this. But he wanted it for the good of our country. He felt in his bones that our destiny was to win, and that his job was to do everything possible to make our enemies lose.”
“A Tough Cookie” and Human Qualities
At one point, the president departed from his prepared remarks to address the deceased’s sister — Darlene Graham Nordone, who had been appointed as the senator’s temporary successor. “He was a tough cookie, Darlene. But he was beautiful,” Trump said.
He also recounted several amusing episodes from Graham’s life: that the senator refused to get up before 10 a.m. and even joked that “even if Jesus Christ returns before 10 a.m., I’m not going” to a meeting. He also described how Graham, after listening to a tedious lecture on patent law from a colleague on an airplane, announced that he had discovered “a new form of enhanced interrogation and torture for Guantánamo Bay — and it’s boring.”
Legacy and Reaction
Trump underscored Graham’s immense influence on American politics: “For more than 30 years, no significant event took place in the capital without Lindsey Graham’s knowledge. Nothing significant happened anywhere in the world without Lindsey Graham having an opinion about it.”
Vice President JD Vance also delivered a speech, calling Graham an “American original.” Fox News host Sean Hannity, a close friend of the deceased, called him a “force of nature” and a “true original.”
As a BBC correspondent noted, Trump “largely stuck to the script” in his roughly 15‑minute speech, which was “a condensed account of the senator’s life and political career, seasoned with anecdotes and jokes.”
The death of Lindsey Graham is a significant loss for the American political scene. As The New York Times writes, his passing “marked the end of an astonishing political journey: from calling Trump ‘unfit for office’ to becoming one of his fiercest defenders.” On the golf course and in the Oval Office, Graham became a trusted adviser to Trump, influencing judicial appointments and hardline positions on Ukraine, Israel, and Iran.
