Lindsey Graham’s suspected cause of death revealed as FBI ‘assisting’ cops over shock passing a day after Ukraine trip

SENATOR Lindsey Graham’s suspected cause of death has been revealed as the FBI is “assisting” cops over his shock death. President Donald Trump paid tribute to his political friend as he revealed he held a final call with Graham less than two hours before his death. The US president said the senator “sounded a little tired” on the phone, before he died from a “brief and sudden illness” at the age of 71, a day after meeting Volodymyr Zelensky in Ukraine. The Medical Examiner of the District of Columbia’s preliminary findings state that the Republican died of “aortic dissection due to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease”. That is effectively when the aorta is damaged or develops a leak, according to a statement released by his office on Sunday. The statement added that an official death certificate will be pending until all the toxicological and microscopic testing are finalized. Read More on News At that point, the death certificate will be updated to reflect the cause of death and appropriately classify the manner of death. Paramedics responded to a “cardiac arrest” at the senator’s Washington home on Saturday night, NBC News reported. They had received a report of a person suffering with chest pains, according to dispatch audio obtained by CNN. FBI Director Kash Patel paid tribute to Graham, saying: “Senator Lindsey Graham was a devoted public servant, a fierce defender of our nation, and a true patriot who dedicated his life to the people of South Carolina and the United States. Most read in The Sun “Our prayers are with his family, loved ones, colleagues, and all those who knew him during this devastating time. “The FBI is assisting local authorities and has made every necessary resource available.” Graham had been targeted by plots from Iranian leaders, with state media sickly celebrating his death on Sunday. One regime broadcaster congratulated “the Iranian people on the death of U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham, who has been sent to hell.” Graham was a former Trump critic who became one of the president’s closest allies. Reacting to Graham’s death, Trump said on Sunday: “What makes it even stranger is that I got a call last night sometime in the early evening maybe in the sevens.” The president said the senator had just landed from Ukraine and was “pushing the Save America Act like crazy”. He remembered his ally “sounded a little tired, but perfect,” adding: “He had a right to be (tired). He was a worker.” “And then that was it. In a post on Truth Social earlier, the president wrote: “Senator Lindsey Graham, one of the greatest people and Senators I have ever known, is dead!” The president ordered that flags across the country be flown at half-staff until Saturday evening. On Friday, Zelensky said he was “grateful” to Graham “for recognising our warriors” after face-to-face talks and a visit to a Ukrainian arms plant. He said it was Graham’s 10th visit to Ukraine. Paying tribute, Zelensky said: “Lindsey was a true defender of freedom and the values that make our world a safer place. “He visited Ukraine 10 times during the years of Russia’s full-scale invasion and was here, alongside our people, when it was needed most. “We were in constant dialogue, which I will miss.” He added: “We extend our condolences to Lindsey’s family, his loved ones, and everyone who had the honor of working alongside him.” A noted hawk, Graham was one of the most influential figures in Washington on foreign affairs and he advised Trump on matters such as the Iran war and Russia. On Friday, Graham had announced an agreement with the Trump administration to move forward on a package of Russia sanctions. As chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, Graham also had a central role during Trump’s second term as Republicans pushed major legislation on party-line votes while holding a narrow 53-47 majority in the chamber. Under South Carolina law, Republican Gov. Henry McMaster will appoint a temporary replacement for Graham, who was seeking a fifth term in November. A new nominee will be selected in a special primary, which is required to be held within weeks of a vacancy.