Leaders Honor Senator Lindsey Graham in Washington and South Carolina

Prominent figures, including President Donald Trump, will pay respects on Tuesday to Senator Lindsey Graham, who passed away this month at 71. Graham, a key lawmaker on Capitol Hill, served South Carolina for over thirty years.

Funeral Services in Washington

The two-day funeral services begin in Washington and conclude in South Carolina. Graham’s casket will be carried by an armed forces team on Tuesday morning to honor his military service. He served as an Air Force JAG officer and retired as a colonel in 2015.

Though he won’t lie in state, a private ceremony will be held in the Capitol’s rotunda. The ceremony, recognizing his service, will be livestreamed and attended by close friends and colleagues. John Thune, Senate Majority Leader, called the event a fitting tribute to Graham’s public service.

“As we say our final goodbyes, it seems fitting for his friends and colleagues to give back to him through this special Capitol honor,” said Thune.

Following the ceremony, an invitation-only funeral will take place at Washington National Cathedral at 2 p.m. ET. Global leaders, such as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, are expected to attend. President Trump, who shared a close bond with Graham, will deliver remarks.

Plans for South Carolina Services

Governor Henry McMaster appointed Darline Graham, Lindsey’s sister, to fulfill his Senate term until the election. She plans to run for a full term while also managing funeral arrangements. Graham had recently returned from Kyiv, having met Zelenskyy prior to his death.

After the events in Washington, Graham’s casket will journey to South Carolina. Residents can pay respects along a procession route at the State House in Columbia. Graham began his political career there in 1993.

His casket will move with a horse-drawn caisson and feature presentations from South Carolina law enforcement. An F-16 flyover will honor him at around 11 a.m. ET. A service at First Baptist Church of Columbia will follow, ending with a private burial in Pickens County.

Graham, former chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, passed on July 11 after a reported cardiac arrest. He had just returned from Ukraine and was set to appear on NBC News’ “Meet the Press.” Preliminary autopsy results indicated an aortic dissection as the cause of death, due to cardiovascular disease.