A bipartisan, multinational group of politicians, diplomats, and world leaders is honoring the late senator this week in a rare and heartwarming display of unity.
At a moment when nearly every death in public life seems to become an occasion for one final political argument, the passing of Sen. Lindsey Graham has produced something different: a pause in the hostilities.
Republicans and Democrats, presidents and prime ministers, senators and soldiers have joined together in remembering the South Carolina Republican as a patriot, a fighter, a loyal friend and an irrepressible presence in Washington.
Oddly enough, the tributes have come not only from people who shared Graham’s politics, but from those who spent years arguing with him.
President Donald Trump called Graham one of the greatest people and senators he had ever known, praising him as a tireless worker and “true American patriot.” Trump also recalled Graham’s crucial role in securing Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation to the Supreme Court and described his friend as one of the country’s most gifted politicians.
The warmth extended far beyond Trump’s circle. Former President Joe Biden remembered traveling and serving with Graham during their years in the Senate. They disagreed often, Biden acknowledged, yet shared a deep respect for public service. Former Vice President Kamala Harris praised Graham’s wit, energy and affection for the Senate.
South Carolina’s leaders spoke with particular emotion. Gov. Henry McMaster called Graham the fiercest of fighters for his state and country. Sen. Tim Scott described him as irreplaceable and recalled that Graham had become part of his family. Democratic Rep. James Clyburn emphasized that their disagreements never destroyed their respectful and productive relationship.
That may be the most revealing part of the week’s tributes. Graham was unquestionably partisan. He relished a fight and rarely concealed his convictions. Yet colleagues repeatedly described a man who could battle them publicly and work with them privately — a senator who understood that political opposition did not require personal hatred.
Vice President JD Vance recalled fierce disputes with Graham over Ukraine, followed by Graham quietly helping him with unrelated legislative work. Senate veterans Mitch McConnell, Dick Durbin, Amy Klobuchar and Mark Warner likewise remembered Graham as candid, funny, energetic and deeply committed to the country, even when they opposed his positions.
The condolences also revealed the extraordinary reach of Graham’s career. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy mourned a steadfast defender of freedom who had visited Ukraine repeatedly since Russia’s full-scale invasion. Graham had returned from Kyiv shortly before his death and was still pressing for stronger sanctions on Russia.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel had lost one of its greatest friends, America had lost a patriot, and he had lost a beloved friend. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte and other European leaders praised Graham’s devotion to the transatlantic alliance and his belief that American leadership remained essential to global security.
These foreign tributes were not ceremonial courtesies. Graham spent decades building relationships abroad, visiting troops, meeting dissidents, challenging adversaries and assuring allies that the United States would not abandon them. Whether one agreed with his muscular foreign policy or not, world leaders knew where he stood — and knew he would show up.
The resulting chorus is a reminder of something Washington too often forgets: A political life can be consequential without being universally approved, and friendship can survive serious disagreement.
For one week, at least, Lindsey Graham has united people who agree on almost nothing. They are united in grief, gratitude and recognition that American public life has lost one of its most energetic participants.
Graham loved the fight. The tributes suggest that, across parties and borders, a great many people loved the fighter.
(Contributing writer, Brooke Bell)