Trump, Netanyahu and Zelensky gather to honor Lindsey Graham in Washington

‘Hard to believe he's gone’: Donald Trump on Lindsey GrahamLindsey Graham’s funeral is set to take place in Washington, D.C. Tuesday, with President Donald Trump slated to deliver a tribute to the late South Carolina Republican.The body of the 71-year-old senator – who died unexpectedly on July 11 after an aortic rupture – will be brought to the U.S. Capitol’s Rotunda, where a short private ceremony will be held in recognition of Graham’s more than two decades of service in the Senate.His funeral will follow at Washington National Cathedral at 2:00 p.m., according to his sister Sen. Darline Graham, who was appointed to fill his seat and is now running for a full term.Trump, who said he was shocked by the senator’s passing, is among those scheduled to speak. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky are expected to be among those in attendance.While closed to the public, Tuesday’s events will be livestreamed online. Additional services are planned in South Carolina Wednesday.An outspoken critic of Trump during the 2016 presidential campaign, Graham later became one of his closest allies. He was a foreign policy hawk, frequently advocating for a more assertive U.S. role in Iran and Ukraine.In pictures: Darline Graham Nordon sworn in to complete late brother’s termA key figure in today’s proceedings will be the deceased’s younger sister, whom Graham helped raise after their parents died in quick succession in the mid-1970s, when Darline was just a teenager and he 20.He became her legal guardian, attended the University of South Carolina so that he could be close to home and visit her every weekend and subsequently enrolled in the U.S. Air Force in order to be able to help pay for her education."He’s kind of like a brother, a father and a mother rolled into one,” she once said of him. “I've always looked up to Lindsey.”Following his death earlier this month, Darline has been sworn in to complete her late brother’s term after being nominated to the position by President Trump. She has since indicated she has ambitions to seek a full term in the role.(Getty)(AFP/Getty)(Reuters)Joe Sommerlad28 July 2026 12:40Zelensky and Netanyahu pay tribute to ‘true friend’ Graham ahead of funeralArriving in the U.S. this morning, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky posted this video in which he said: “We will honor the memory of Senator Lindsey Graham. “Together with everyone attending the ceremony in Washington, we will remember his commitment to security and freedom across the transatlantic community and around the world.”Just before his departure from Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also paid tribute to Graham, calling him “a true friend of mine and of the State of Israel.”Joe Sommerlad28 July 2026 12:20Graham’s most consequential moments, from the Clinton impeachment to defending Brett Kavanaugh Perhaps more than anyone, the lawmaker from South Carolina epitomized the Republican Party’s shift from opposing Donald Trump to accepting his reshaping agenda.A former bipartisan dealmaker who enjoyed friendships with Democrats ranging from Biden to Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, he subsequently morphed into a hardcore partisan warrior post-2016.Here’s Eric Garcia with a look back at some of the key episodes in the late senator’s career, from his humble origins marked by tragedy to cheerleading Operation Epic Fury.Joe Sommerlad28 July 2026 11:40In pictures: Graham and the presidentsLindsey Graham’s 23-year career in the Senate, spanned from the George W Bush era to Donald Trump. He proved himself able to work Democrats too, collaborating with Barack Obama on foreign policy and striking up a particular friendship with Joe Biden.Graham with President Donald Trump on a recent trip aboard Air Force One (Getty)Graham and fellow GOP senator John McCain sit down with then-president Barack Obama in the Oval Office in 2013 to discuss strategy in Syria (Getty)Future president and then-senator Joe Biden introduces Graham to Lee Ewing of Aerospace Daily at a black tie gala in 2004 (Getty)Graham joins former president George W Bush and South Carolina gubernatorial candidate Mark Sanford in his home state in 2002 (AFP/Getty)Joe Sommerlad28 July 2026 11:00Why Graham’s funeral is more complicated than you might thinkThe logistics for today’s funeral have become more and more complicated due to the number of world leaders expected to be in attendance, requiring a heightened security presence.Here’s Owen Scott’s report.Joe Sommerlad28 July 2026 10:20In pictures: Preparations for Graham’s funeral take place in WashingtonMembers of the military conducted rehearsals at the U.S. Capitol Monday ahead of today’s services to honor the late senator, bearing a flag-draped coffin up the steps into the Rotunda.(Reuters)(Reuters)Joe Sommerlad28 July 2026 09:40Benjamin Netanyahu and Volodymyr Zelensky to attend ceremonyIsraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky are expected to attend Tuesday’s funeral service in Washington.Graham emerged as a pivotal ally on Capitol Hill for both leaders, consistently urging the Trump administration to take a more aggressive stance against Iran and to bolster support for Ukraine in its war with Russia.“Israel has lost one of its greatest friends,” Netanyahu said following Graham’s sudden death earlier this month. “America has lost a great patriot. I have lost a beloved friend.”“Lindsey was a true defender of freedom and the values that make our world safer,” Zelensky wrote in his own statement. “We remained in constant dialogue, and I will miss our conversations.”Graham and Netanyahu with the late Arizona Republican Sen. John McCain in Jerusalem on June 30, 2013 (Getty)Joe Sommerlad28 July 2026 09:00Full schedule for Graham’s funeral servicesFuneral services for Lindsey Graham will take place over the next two days in Washington, D.C., and South Carolina. The schedule is as follows:Tuesday: The body of the 71-year-old senator will be brought to the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol, where a brief private ceremony will honor his more than two decades of service in the Senate. The ceremony will be livestreamed. Tuesday at 2 p.m.: A funeral service will be held at Washington National Cathedral. President Donald Trump is among those scheduled to speak, and multiple world leaders are expected to attend. The service will again be livestreamed. Tuesday evening: Graham’s remains will be transported to South Carolina. Wednesday at 10:45 a.m.: Services will begin with a final visit to the South Carolina State House, including a procession featuring an F-16 flyover. Wednesday at 12 p.m.: A funeral service will be held at First Baptist Church of Columbia. Wednesday: A private family burial in Pickens County, South Carolina, will follow the service. Joe Sommerlad28 July 2026 08:35U.S. politicians and world leaders to pay tribute to Lindsey Graham Sen. Lindsey Graham will be eulogized Tuesday during memorial services across Washington.The long-serving politician passed away unexpectedly earlier this month at the age of 71.Graham’s remains will arrive at the U.S. Capitol, where the Republican worked for more than 20 years, later today.A funeral service will then be held at Washington National Cathedral with lawmakers and foreign leaders, a testament to his stature on the global stage.President Donald Trump is expected to deliver remarks at the cathedral, alongside Fox News’ Sean Hannity and other conservative leaders. Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu and Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky are planning to be in attendance.Lindsey Graham passed away unexpectedly earlier this month (AFP/Getty)Joe Sommerlad28 July 2026 08:15