The medical examiner’s office in Washington, D.C., has identified aortic dissection as the preliminary cause of death for U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham, who passed away suddenly Sunday.
Graham’s office announced his death Sunday, stating he had succumbed to “a brief and sudden illness.” The senator had returned from Ukraine on Saturday, where he met with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to discuss U.S. support for the country’s defense against Russian aggression.
What the Medical Examiner Found
An aortic dissection-a tear in the inner wall of the aorta, the body’s main artery-was identified as the preliminary cause, according to a joint statement from Metropolitan Police Chief Carroll and D.C. Medical Examiner Francisco J. Diaz.
“The death certificate will be PENDING until all the toxicological and microscopic testing are finalized,” the statement said. Complete testing typically requires additional time to process and verify findings.
“As soon as the results are available and the investigation concludes, OCME will communicate with the next of kin and the death certificate will be amended from pending to the cause of death,” officials added.
Events Leading to His Death
Graham called 911 Saturday for chest pains, according to audio of the emergency call obtained by multiple news outlets. He had just landed from his Ukraine trip the previous day.
Saturday evening, Graham spoke with President Trump by phone to discuss the SAVE America Act, according to Trump. “He said he just landed from Ukraine. I said, ‘That’s a long trip to make,'” Trump recalled during a phone interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press” anchor Kristen Welker Sunday morning.
Tributes and Reactions
Trump issued a statement on Truth Social early Sunday, calling Graham “a true American Patriot” and “unique in every way.” Graham had been scheduled to appear on “Meet the Press” Sunday morning, but Welker interviewed Trump by phone instead.
“He was always working, and was a true American Patriot. Lindsey will be greatly missed,” Trump said. Graham’s family requested privacy during the period following his death.
This story has been updated. CNN’s Health team contributed to this report.
