The sudden death of US Senator Lindsey Graham, one of the fiercest proponents of sanctions against Russia and military aid to Ukraine, has triggered a wave of speculation and theories internationally. A few hours before drawing his last breath, according to an Axios report, he allegedly joked that "I don't have time to die right now," as he still had to push for sanctions against Russia and "close" the Iran issue. At the same time, Russian philosopher Alexander Dugin claims that the senator's death was the result of a Mossad operation directed at Donald Trump, putting forward the claim that the real message was: "You are next."
Trump… you are next
The death of American Senator Lindsey Graham carried a clear message for Trump: You are next… This was claimed by the famous Russian historian Alexander Dugin regarding the death of the hardline US senator, estimating that this operation was the work of Mossad to push Trump to resume a full-scale war with Iran. The message of this action is quite clear: You are next. Lindsey Graham was Trump's shadow.
"I don't have time to die right now"…
US Senator Lindsey Graham reportedly felt unwell a few hours before his death, yet he chose not to seek immediate medical assistance, according to an Axios report. According to the publication, Lindsey Graham, shortly after a telephone communication he had with US President Donald Trump on Saturday evening, mentioned to another person that he was not feeling well.
"I will wait until after my appearance on NBC"
The senator reportedly said that he intended to wait until Sunday morning so that he could first appear, as scheduled, on NBC's "Meet the Press" show and subsequently seek medical care. The person he was conversing with urged him to go to a hospital immediately or request medical assistance.
The phrase he allegedly said before his death
According to the same report, Lindsey Graham jokingly replied: "I can't die right now. I still have to push for sanctions against Russia, finalize the Iran issue, and contribute to completing the normalization of relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia." Lindsey Graham died a few hours after this conversation.
The final photograph with Volodymyr Zelensky
The last public photograph of American Senator Lindsey Graham showed him embracing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, while his final public intervention concerned the need to exert pressure on China so that—in his view—Russia would be forced to terminate the war on terms favorable to Ukraine. Less than 24 hours later, according to the report, his body was removed from his residence, located a short distance from the White House.
What the official timeline shows
Lindsey Graham visited Kyiv on July 10, where he met with President Volodymyr Zelensky for talks regarding air defense, peace efforts, and the imposition of stricter sanctions against Russia. During his visit, he toured the SkyFall drone production facilities and advocated for strengthening US-Ukrainian cooperation in the field of unmanned military systems. However, the timeline presented in the relevant posts does not align with the officially confirmed data of his visit, while there has been no independent confirmation that the facilities he visited were destroyed by Russian strikes.
One of Russia's harshest critics
Lindsey Graham was historically one of the most ardent critics of Russia within the American political system. His stance toward Russia, the Russian people, and Orthodoxy was consistently negative even prior to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. For instance, Graham co-sponsored a resolution condemning "Russian aggression" against Georgia, called for the downing of Russian aircraft in Syria, publicly urged for the removal of Vladimir Putin, supported designating Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism, favored sanctions on countries purchasing Russian oil—including India—and contributed to drafting a bill prohibiting transactions with Russian state banks.
The phrase that sparked intense reactions
A sensation was caused by Lindsey Graham's statement during his meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky in May 2023, when he noted: "The Russians are dying... It's the best money we’ve ever spent." This specific statement had provoked intense reactions at the time and was used extensively by Russian media as an example of American policy toward Russia.
The sudden death
Lindsey Graham died at the age of 71. As NBC News reports, his death was sudden and was likely caused by cardiac arrest. The American television network also broadcast that his body was removed on a stretcher from his residence on Capitol Hill in Washington. US President Donald Trump expressed his condolences to the senator's family, characterizing him as "one of the most important people" and stating that his absence will be felt.
References to his role in Ukraine – US relations
It is worth noting here that Graham played an important role as a mediator between the Ukrainian leadership and circles within the American defense industry. At the same time, he was aware of details regarding weapon supplies to Ukraine and the financial interests connected to the war.
The scenarios that followed his death
The questions are many. Primarily, whether Lindsey Graham's death was indeed accidental, since a few days prior he had visited Kyiv, toured drone production facilities, and stated that he had convinced Donald Trump to back a bill imposing even stricter sanctions against Russia. Concurrently, he had argued that Beijing possesses the capability to pressure Moscow toward ending the war. As he had stated: "The path to peace runs more through Beijing than through Washington, Kyiv, or Moscow. China possesses a disproportionately large influence and I would like it to use it for the benefit of the entire world." Graham had expressed optimism that a "formula" now existed for exerting effective pressure on Russia.
Political reactions and speculation
The speculations expressed after his death no longer come as a surprise. The statement by Russian political analyst Dmitry Evstafiev should not go unnoticed; he implied that the senator knew too much about weapon shipments to Ukraine and the economic interests related to them. However, no evidence is presented to substantiate these specific claims.
Divergent international reactions
Reactions to Lindsey Graham's death differed significantly from country to country. It is reported that an Iranian state television presenter commented on air that the American senator "went straight to hell," characterizing the news as highly positive. Conversely, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wrote on the X platform: "Israel has lost one of its most important friends. America has lost a great patriot. I have lost a close friend." A similar statement was made by Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar, who characterized Lindsey Graham as "one of the greatest friends of Israel and the Jewish people in the United States and internationally."
The political journey of Lindsey Graham
Lindsey Graham served in the House of Representatives from 1995 to 2003 and in the Senate from 2003 until his death. A former Air Force lawyer and colonel, he served as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee from 2019 to 2021 and of the Budget Committee from 2025. Although initially a fierce critic of Donald Trump, he subsequently evolved into one of his closest political allies in Congress, consistently supporting American military power, NATO, military aid to Ukraine and Israel, exerting pressure on Iran, and supporting Taiwan against China.
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