Longtime United States Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina has passed away at the age of seventy-one following a brief and sudden illness, his office confirmed in an official statement.

Emergency medical responders had been dispatched to his Capitol Hill residence on Saturday evening following a distress call regarding an individual experiencing severe chest pains and cardiac arrest, after which he was transported to George Washington University Hospital.

The sudden passing of the veteran lawmaker, who was actively running for re-election later this year, has sent shockwaves through Washington and the Republican Party, drawing widespread tributes from prominent domestic and international political figures.

Former President Donald Trump paid a highly emotional tribute to the deceased senator on Truth Social, describing Graham as a true American patriot, a relentless worker, and one of the greatest senators he had ever known. Despite competing fiercely against each other for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination, the two men formed an exceptionally close political alliance, with Graham evolving into one of Trump’s most fierce defenders on Capitol Hill.

South Carolina Governor, Henry McMaster also expressed deep grief, calling Graham an irreplaceable and loyal friend who fought fiercely for his state and country, noting that he will move quickly under state law to make an immediate appointment to fill the vacant Senate seat.

On the international stage, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog released statements expressing deep heartbreak, emphasizing that Israel had lost one of its most steadfast and potent congressional allies. Known throughout his decades-long political career as an outspoken foreign policy hawk, Graham was a leading advocate for interventionist strategies, maintaining a strong military presence overseas, and applying maximum sanctions pressure on foreign adversaries.

Having served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1995 before moving to the Senate in 2003, his death marks the final passing of the famous congressional trio known as the “Three Amigos,” which included his close late colleagues John McCain and Joe Lieberman.