Full Breakdown
Senate Leader Lindsey Graham Honored in Dual-State Funeral
7/28/2026, 2:18:49 AM
Capitol Honors and Presidential Attendance
On Tuesday, the U.S. Capitol hosted a special ceremony for the late Sen. Lindsey Graham. An armed-forces body-bearer team first carried his casket, after which a U.S. Capitol Police memorial guard took over in recognition of his long Senate service. Although Graham will not lie in state, the ceremony in the rotunda marked a rare honor for a member of Congress. President Donald Trump is expected to deliver remarks and to meet separately with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who were among the global leaders slated to attend. Cabinet officials, congressional leaders and senior military figures are also slated to be present.
South Carolina Procession and Service
The following day, Graham’s casket will travel to South Carolina, where a public procession will begin at the State House in Columbia. A South Carolina State Guard horse-drawn caisson will carry the casket, accompanied by a presentation of law-enforcement personnel from across the state. An F-16 flyover from the 169th Fighter Wing of McEntire Joint National Guard Base is scheduled for about 11 a.m. ET. The caisson will then proceed down Main Street to the First Baptist Church of Columbia for a funeral service, after which a private family burial will occur in Pickens County, the Graham family’s hometown.
Cause of Death and Recent Diplomatic Trip
Graham died the night of July 11 after emergency responders answered a call for “cardiac arrest” at his Washington-area home. Graham’s office indicated the preliminary cause was an aortic dissection resulting from arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease. At the time of his death, he had just returned from Kyiv, where he met with President Zelenskyy, and was slated to appear on NBC News’ “Meet the Press” the next morning.
Political Succession and Upcoming Election
South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster appointed Graham’s sister, Darline Graham, to fill the remaining six months of his Senate term. She announced her intention to run for a full six-year term, facing the challenge of organizing her brother’s services while preparing for a fast-approaching August primary election. The appointment and her candidacy underscore the immediate political transition prompted by Graham’s sudden passing.
