Skip to main content

Sen. Lindsey Graham’s funeral services take place in DC

U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) speaks during a press conference at the U.S. Capitol on April 27, 2026, in Washington, DC. Republican senators gathered to introduce legislation to fund construction of a White House ballroom as a secure alternative event space following the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner in Washington, DC Saturday night. (Photo by Heather Diehl/Getty Images)

(WASHINGTON) — National political leaders and prominent figures from around the globe will remember South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham with a ceremony on Capitol Hill and a funeral service in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday.

Graham is first being recognized with a ceremony in the Capitol rotunda. His casket was brought to the Capitol, where he is being honored by his fellow senators.

The ceremony includes remarks from Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Vice President JD Vance, according to the program.

Graham served more than two decades in the Senate, becoming one of the chamber’s most recognizable Republicans and one of President Donald Trump’s closest friends and advisers. He advised the president on foreign matters, including the recent war in Iran, and was a prominent fixture of the Senate’s powerful Judiciary Committee. 

He died suddenly and unexpectedly on July 11 at the age of 71. Preliminary findings from the Medical Examiner of the District of Columbia said that the senator died due to “aortic dissection due to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease.” 

Later Tuesday, there will be a funeral service at the Washington National Cathedral. Trump is expected to speak at the service, according to the office of Darline Graham, the late senator’s sister who was sworn in earlier this month to finish out the rest of his term.

The cathedral funeral is expected to be attended by a number of world leaders, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Graham worked closely with both men as a staunch ally to both nations. Graham spent some of his final days in Ukraine and met with Zelenskyy just before he died. 

Graham’s casket will return to South Carolina on Wednesday, where further memorial services are set for Columbia, the state’s capital, and Pickens County, where Graham grew up and part of the district he represented.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Asheville leaders focus on violence prevention, community support after deadly shooting

By CNN
Click here for updates on this story    ASHEVILLE, North Carolina (WLOS) -- Nearly a week after a deadly shooting in downtown Asheville, city leaders are shifting the conversation beyond the investigation and toward community safety, prevention efforts and support for those impacted.At a community briefing Friday, officials discussed the ongoing investigation, resources for families and the work they say is needed to prevent future violence.Police say they are still working to identify the people responsible for Sunday night's shooting, but community leaders say addressing violence requires more than arrests.Michael Hall, chaplain with Be More Alive Ministries, said one question remains: what resources are available for young people when they are not in school?"But where do our young people go when school is closed? What do they have to do?" he said.Hall said community violence can be connected to deeper issues."When you have a number of young people and sometimes old that have picked up suppression, picked up anger, picked up frustration through living in an impoverished neighborhood, broken families, and they're not giving the tools to learn how to manage, okay, 'I'm angry and what do I do with this?' What do they do?" he said.City leaders pointed to Asheville's violence prevention plan as a key part of the response moving forward. Mayor Esther Manheimer said continued collaboration with community partners will be important."The county has worked to put in place a strategic plan around addressing community violence, and I think the work around that with all of our community partners is what needs to continue," she said.At the same time, Asheville Police Department officials said they are seeing increasingly dangerous firearms in the community, including illegally modified weapons that can require federal prosecution.Interim Chief Jackie Stepp said APD's partnerships with federal agencies have been important in addressing those cases."We are fortunate that we have very good relationships with our federal partners in terms of prosecution. Those guns are highly illegal, but that, unfortunately, is what we are seeing in our community,” she said.While the investigation continues, APD is also preparing for another busy weekend in downtown Asheville."We are in regular communication with our community leaders to identify areas where we believe large gatherings may take place, in putting safety measures in place to ensure the safety of our community and everyone involved," Stepp said.For those working directly with families affected by violence, Hall said the impact of the shooting goes beyond the investigation."It's hurtful, apart from knowing two of the young men, another two human beings are no longer here with us," Hall said.Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.
Read Next Story

Related Stories

Latest News
Watch Live: Sen. Lindsey Graham remembered in Washington ceremonies today
26 minutes ago

Watch Live: Sen. Lindsey Graham remembered in Washington ceremonies today

Fauci diaries, released by Sen. Paul, touch on COVID origins, Trump

Johnson & Johnson offers up to $5.5 billion to settle baby powder cancer lawsuits

Apple ahora te permitirá arrendar tu próximo iPhone o Mac en lugar de comprarlo

People trapped and injured after powerful earthquake strikes Japan