Senate” during a funeral service at the Washington National Cathedral on Tuesday, marking the first of two days of remembrances for the South Carolina lawmaker who died earlier this month at age 71.
Washington National Cathedral Funeral Service
During Tuesday’s service, President Trump recalled competing against Graham for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination, when the senator once had harsh words for him. Trump admitted that sharing Graham’s personal cell phone number with millions of people during a heated moment in 2016 was “something I shouldn’t have done,” before reciting the digits again to laughter in the sanctuary, according to the source material.
“It was Lindsey who had the last laugh because while I blew up his phone for one day, we became great friends, and Lindsey did not stop calling me for the next 10 years,” Trump said, noting that Graham grew to become one of his closest confidantes on foreign policy matters.
Did You Know? President Trump recalled that Lindsey Graham learned a core lesson from his parents’ pool hall business—which also included a liquor store—noting that you have to be funny enough that people keep coming back and tough enough to stay in business and thrive.
Congressional Tributes in the Capitol Rotunda
Earlier on Tuesday, a flag-draped coffin rested in the center of the Capitol Rotunda as Republican senators past and present remembered Graham’s influence across South Carolina and the international stage. Senate Majority Leader John Thune highlighted Graham’s three decades in Congress, his role in judicial confirmations, his fierce defense of Ukraine, and his support of the anti-abortion rights movement, calling him a “powerful voice” who took his job seriously while capable of cracking up a room.
Vice President J.D. Vance, who served alongside Graham in the Senate, recalled a heated argument the two once had over funding for Ukraine, adding that “it was impossible not to like him.” New Hampshire Gov. Kelly Ayotte, a close friend and former Senate colleague, noted that Graham—an Air Force judge advocate who served in the military for more than three decades—never missed an opportunity to remind her that he outranked her in service and office.
Family Legacy and Upcoming South Carolina Services
Family members also paid tribute, including Emillie Boggs Roberts, who delivered an emotional speech describing her uncle as a devoted family man whose world revolved around her mother, Darline Graham. Following the deaths of their parents, Graham became the primary caretaker for his teenage sister Darline, commuting over two hours each way every weekend from the University of South Carolina in Columbia to Seneca to visit her. Darline Graham has now been appointed to serve out the remainder of his term in the Senate.
Dozens of members of Congress, Cabinet members, Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attended the Washington services. Graham’s remains are scheduled to be flown back to South Carolina for a funeral service on Wednesday at the First Baptist Church in Columbia.
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where was President Trump’s tribute to Lindsey Graham held?
President Trump delivered his remarks during a funeral service for Lindsey Graham at the Washington National Cathedral on Tuesday.
Who has been appointed to serve out the remainder of Lindsey Graham’s Senate term?
Darline Graham, Lindsey Graham’s sister, has been appointed to serve out the remainder of his term.
Where is Lindsey Graham’s final funeral service scheduled to take place?
Graham’s remains will be flown to South Carolina for a funeral service on Wednesday at the First Baptist Church in Columbia.