AYESHA RASCOE, HOST:
Stunned U.S. politicians and world leaders are paying tribute today to Republican Senator Lindsey Graham. Graham was 71. His office said in a statement that he died Saturday night after a sudden illness. The South Carolina Republican built a reputation on Capitol Hill as an advocate for muscular military intervention abroad, but he may be best known for his evolving relationship with President Trump, from vocal critic to close ally. We're joined now by NPR congressional reporter Sam Gringlas. Good morning, Sam.
SAM GRINGLAS, BYLINE: Hey there.
RASCOE: So it seems like, well, this just completely caught Washington and really the world off guard.
GRINGLAS: Yeah. Graham was actually set to appear on "Meet The Press" this morning, and right now we know really little about his death. His office did say in a statement that his family appreciates prayers and asked for privacy during this difficult period on social media. President Trump praised Graham as an American patriot and said details and arrangements will be forthcoming.
RASCOE: Can you fill in some more details about the arc of Graham's life?
GRINGLAS: Yeah. Well, Graham's parents operated a bar in a town called Central, South Carolina. His first home was actually a room behind that bar, and he worked there as a kid. But his life really changed as an undergrad when his parents died just over a year apart, and he became legal guardian for his younger sister, Darline. He later adopted her so she could receive his military benefits. Graham began his career as a lawyer for the U.S. Air Force and actually remained in the Air Force Reserve through his 50s.
Graham was elected to Congress in 1994. In the House, he served as an impeachment manager against President Bill Clinton, and that really launched him on the national stage. And he's served in the U.S. Senate since 2003, where he was a complicated figure - you know, always evolving.
RASCOE: Well, tell us more about that role that he carved out in the Senate.
GRINGLAS: Yeah. Graham is known on the Hill for his hawkish foreign policy, on display most recently as chief proponent of President Trump's war in Iran. He's also been a staunch advocate for aiding Ukraine. He'd actually just returned from a trip there. Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said they met twice last week and, in a statement, said, Graham was here when it was most needed. The prime minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, said, we have no better friend than Lindsey.
Over Graham's Senate career, he led two powerful committees. As chair of the Budget Panel, he helped push through the signature legislation of Trump's second term - a sweeping tax and spending bill. And atop the Judiciary Committee, he played a key role confirming Amy Coney Barrett to the U.S. Supreme Court. But it was another confirmation battle - for Justice Brett Kavanaugh in 2018 - that Graham called the turning point in his political life. He spoke about it in 2019 in an interview with NPR's Mary Louise Kelly.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED NPR CONTENT)
LINDSEY GRAHAM: I was seen as fighting for a good nominee who was being poorly treated. And that did more to help me, probably, in South Carolina than anything that I can remember in the last 20 years.
RASCOE: Well, pick up on that thread - Graham's political evolution. Part of the reason he's such a fascinating figure is because of his history...
GRINGLAS: Yeah.
RASCOE: ...With President Trump.
GRINGLAS: Yeah. The arc of that relationship feels very much of this political era. You know, earlier in his career, Graham was known for his bipartisan bent, notably on issues like immigration reform. And then as he made his own bid for the Republican nomination for president in 2016, you know, he called Trump a bigot, said he would destroy the GOP. But over the last decade, Graham's posture toward Trump changed dramatically. He became a close confidant to the president, to the point that when Graham beat back a primary challenge earlier this year with help from Trump's endorsement, he said, Mr. President, you are not far behind God.
Graham's critics often cite his friendship with the late Arizona Republican Senator John McCain, who was a vocal Trump critic and the president had disparaged. And they ask how Graham could possibly defend Trump, given that he called McCain his best friend. Graham told NPR that McCain, too, could fight his opponents like a tiger, whether it was Trump or Barack Obama, but also work with them when they had common ground.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED NPR CONTENT)
GRAHAM: It is in my nature to work with people on both sides of the aisle, including Trump. To those who think the only way you can honor John McCain is to, you know, work against President Trump, you really don't understand what John McCain was all about.
GRINGLAS: Yeah. And in a social media post, Trump called Graham, one of the greatest people and senators I've ever known.
RASCOE: You know, Sam, this comes at a time of heightened focus on transparency around health in Congress. How does Graham fit into that context?
GRINGLAS: Yeah. This has been an active discussion on Capitol Hill lately. This year, Republican Senator Tom Kean of New Jersey went missing for nearly four months with no explanation. Republican Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky is still in the hospital. He's been there for nearly a month, again with almost no details about why. And, Ayesha, these absences do matter, especially in a Congress that's so narrowly divided.
RASCOE: That's NPR congressional reporter Sam Gringlas. Thank you so much.
GRINGLAS: You're welcome. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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