US Senator Lindsey Graham, a prominent Republican figure and close ally of former President Donald Trump, died unexpectedly at the age of 71 due to a tear in his aorta linked to heart disease. Throughout his career, Graham was widely known for his aggressive criticism of India’s continued purchase of discounted Russian crude oil, which he said was funding Russia’s military operations in Ukraine.
Graham repeatedly called India, alongside China and Brazil, out for importing Russian energy after Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. He framed these purchases as “blood money” and warned that the US would respond with severe economic measures if the practice continued. To this end, Graham co-sponsored bipartisan legislation known as the Sanctioning Russia Act alongside Senator Richard Blumenthal, which would have authorized the president to impose heavy tariffs on countries buying Russian petroleum, natural gas, or uranium.
Despite his stern critique, Graham supported deepening US-India relations, especially in strategic areas such as cooperation within the Indo-Pacific to counter China’s regional influence. He also advocated for India to leverage its diplomatic ties with Russia to help mediate a resolution to the conflict in Ukraine, describing such an effort as a pivotal step toward strengthening US-India relations.
His office disclosed that Graham died from a brief and sudden illness, with preliminary medical findings attributing his death to aortic rupture related to heart disease. Former President Trump eulogized Graham as a natural-born, hardworking politician who excelled in bipartisan collaboration, acknowledging the senator’s distinctive political skill and toughness.