US Senator Lindsey Graham has died

Lindsey Graham, a prominent member of the US Senate, has died. He was 71 years old at the time of his death. His office's communications director confirmed the news early Sunday (July 12).

In a post on the social media platform Xe (formerly Twitter), the communications director wrote that he (Graham) died suddenly on Saturday (July 11).

However, no details were immediately available about the nature of his illness or the cause of death.

Lindsey Graham's death is a major blow to Washington and the Republican Party. Graham had served in the US Senate since 2003, representing the state of South Carolina.

Graham, a retired Air Force Reserve colonel, also worked as a military lawyer. He was known as a supporter of a tough foreign policy. He publicly supported the Iraq War and has long advocated for military action against Iran. He was also a strong supporter of the Trump administration during the recent Iran-US tensions.

He ran for president of the United States in 2016. At the time, he was a strong critic of Donald Trump, but later became one of Trump's most trusted political allies.

Al Jazeera News