What we're covering
• Lawmaker remembered: Funeral services for longtime GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham, who died on July 11 at the age of 71, are taking place in Washington, DC, today. The services in DC will honor Graham’s service in the Air Force and include a special ceremony at the Capitol Rotunda.
• Tributes from the president and senators: Donald Trump is scheduled to deliver remarks during the funeral service at the Washington National Cathedral at 2 p.m. ET. Vice President JD Vance and Senate Majority Leader John Thune delivered remarks at the US Capitol. Graham was a key Trump ally and conduit to the president on Capitol Hill.
• Two days of services: Today is the first of two days of ceremonies for Graham. Tomorrow he will be honored in his home state of South Carolina with a procession at the state house and a private burial.
Netanyahu expected to attend Graham's funeral during US visit
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu plans to attend today’s funeral of Lindsey Graham, the prime minister’s office said in a statement last week.
Netanyahu is visiting the US today and meeting President Donald Trump at the White House, Trump confirmed in his speech at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner on Friday.
Netanyahu said Israel had lost “one of its greatest friends” after Graham died.
“Lindsey understood that the security of Israel and America are inseparable,” he said.
Senators and members of the administration approach the casket as they leave the rotunda
Members of the administration, senators and former senators passed by the casket as they left the rotunda, with some pausing to say goodbye.
Sen. Katie Britt was crying as she took a moment in front of the casket. Britt told CNN last week Graham had served as a kind of mentor and teacher during her first few years in the Senate, making sure she could get a seat at the table during important negotiations.
Britt laid a hand on her heart, then kissed her palm and laid it on the casket before she stepped away.
Former Sen. Richard Burr bent down and kissed the flag draping the casket when he approached to pay his respects.
Sen. Darline Graham rests her hand on casket, takes a moment at end of ceremony
Sen. Darline Graham was the first to approach her late brother’s casket as the Army band played during the end of the ceremony at the US Capitol. She laid one hand on the top of the flag draping the casket and waited a few moments before going back to her seat.
Graham’s other family members and his staff followed, with some becoming emotional during the moment of farewell.
Vance praises Graham as loyal Senate colleague
Vice President JD Vance praised his former Senate colleague Lindsey Graham as a person who would argue with you one minute, but was “working for the things that you cared about in the next.”
At a Capitol ceremony Tuesday morning, Vance told the story of despite having an “intense argument” with Graham about funding for Ukraine while both were in the Senate, Graham still helped the vice president with rail legislation he cared about.
When Vance asked about why he would help him with this bill, which Graham had no direct interest in, Vance recalled Graham told him, “Well, I don’t care about it, but you do.”
“And that was the kind of colleague he could be — a person you argued with and fought with in one minute, but behind the scenes, without collecting an ounce of credit, was working for you and working for the things that you cared about in the next. That was who Lindsey Graham was,” he said.
Wreaths presented by Graham's casket at Capitol ceremony
Vice President JD Vance, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, and House GOP Reps. Joe Wilson and Sheri Biggs of South Carolina presented wreaths by Graham’s casket.
The wreaths represent condolences from the executive branch, the Senate and the House, respectively.
An emotional Thune reminisces on Graham's Senate service and friendship
Senate Majority Leader John Thune recounted Graham’s service in the Senate and discussed his friendship with the late South Carolina senator, becoming emotional at the end of his remarks.
“My heart is heavy. I feel his absence every day, and I know so many of my colleagues do as well,” said Thune.
Thune highlighted Graham’s work traveling the globe, his support for national security, and his time as chairmen of two key Senate committees, Judiciary and Budget.
“Lindsey was a towering figure here in the Senate and on the international stage,” he said.
Thune added that it is surreal to think that his friend is gone, remembering Graham’s wit and humor.
“During the work week here in Washington, a lot of us are away from our family, so we often get together in groups for dinner. And let me tell you, Lindsey was always the first call,” said Thune. “He was entertaining always and pretentious never.”
“Lindsey will be remembered as a senator and as a statesman. But for me, most of all, I will remember him as my friend,” added Thune. His voice broke as he said, “Lindsey, rest in peace, my friend. I look forward to the days when you make us all laugh again.”
US Air Force band performing in recognition of Graham's military service
The United States Air Force band is performing at the Capitol ceremony today, in recognition of Lindsey Graham’s years of service in the Air Force, and in the Air Force reserves.
The late Republican senator was an active-duty Air Force lawyer for more than six years, before moving to the South Carolina Air National Guard and later to the Air Force reserves.
He retired from the reserves in 2015, with the rank of Colonel.
Where are attendees sitting at the Capitol ceremony for Lindsey Graham?
Vice President JD Vance, Senate Majority Leader John Thune and GOP Rep. Sheri Biggs, all of whom will be giving remarks at a Capitol ceremony for Lindsey Graham, are sitting in the front row alongside Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Republican Rep. Joe Wilson.
Wilson, Schumer, Vance, Thune and Biggs will all lay wreaths by Graham’s casket at the US Capitol.
Several administration officials are seated directly behind the lawmakers at the ceremony.
They include acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, Energy Secretary Chris Wright, Environmental Protection Agency Director Lee Zeldin, Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought, and Small Business Administrator Kelly Loeffler.
Mullin and Loeffler served alongside Graham in the Senate. Meanwhile, the Senate Judiciary Committee, of which Graham was a senior member, is also scheduled to consider Blanche’s nomination to be attorney general on Thursday morning.
Ceremony honoring Graham at US Capitol underway
The special ceremony to pay tribute to the late Sen. Lindsey Graham is underway at the US Capitol. There are expected to be remarks shortly from Vice President JD Vance and Senate Majority Leader John Thune among others.
Graham's casket taken up steps to Capitol
The late Sen. Lindsey Graham’s casket was transferred from the hearse and carried up the East Front steps of the Capitol building. Waiting at the top of the steps are friends, family, including his sister, Sen. Darline Graham, and his former staff.
Other senators and former senators met in the Senate chamber ahead of the ceremony, and processed in to the rotunda together.
Many former GOP senators and their wives are in the Capitol to say goodbye and celebrate their former colleague this morning, including Former Sens. Jeff Flake, Roy Blunt, Lamar Alexander, Richard Burr, Pat Toomey, and Cory Gardner.
Lindsey Graham's hearse has arrived outside US Capitol
Sen. Lindsey Graham has arrived at the Capitol for the final time.
The hearse carrying his remains pulled up to the East Front of the Capitol building just before 9:40am. Shortly, his casket will be carried up the steps of the Capitol into the Rotunda, and the first memorial service will begin.
What to know about the funeral plans
The late GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham will be honored today and tomorrow with funeral services that will include a special ceremony at the US Capitol and a tribute from President Donald Trump.
The first day of services begins today at the US Capitol and will honor Graham’s military and political career. A special ceremony at the Capitol Rotunda will take place, Senate Majority Leader John Thune said.
Graham’s remains will then be taken to the Washington National Cathedral for a funeral service at 2 p.m. ET, where Trump is scheduled to pay tribute.
Following the service, Graham’s remains will be taken to South Carolina for a funeral in Columbia the next day.
The two days of services will conclude with a private burial in Pickens County.
Trump says Graham "was able to bring people together"
President Donald Trump remembered the late Sen. Lindsey Graham as a “great guy” who was “able to bring people together” ahead of his funeral Tuesday.
“If I needed a Democrat, he could usually produce that Democrat if I had to have him in an emergency,” Trump said on Fox & Friends this morning. “He was a great politician and a great gentleman”
Trump conceded their relationship started off rough as Graham was seeking the Republican presidential nomination at the same time as Trump before the 2016 election, but said “it really ended up being a great friendship.”
Vance, Thune to speak at memorial for Graham at US Capitol
Vice President JD Vance and Senate Majority Leader John Thune are scheduled to deliver remarks at a memorial for the late Sen. Lindsey Graham at the US Capitol this morning.
Chuck Schumer, the Senate’s top Democrat, is expected to participate in a wreath presentation along with Thune and Vance as well as members of Congress from South Carolina.
The Capitol memorial will take place before Graham’s funeral at Washington National Cathedral later this afternoon.
Trump, Hannity to pay tribute to Graham at his funeral
President Donald Trump and Fox News host Sean Hannity will deliver tributes for Sen. Lindsey Graham’s funeral in Washington later today.
The senator’s niece, Emillie Boggs Roberts, will also deliver a tribute. The Rev. Franklin Graham, son of evangelist Billy Graham, will read a verse from scripture.
The Reverend Tim Tate, who is the pastor at Graham’s church in South Carolina, will deliver the homily at the service.
Graham’s funeral is set to start around 2 p.m. ET at the Washington National Cathedral. Attendees are expected to include Trump, Graham’s former colleagues in Congress and some world leaders.
Lindsey Graham leaves behind a long legacy in Washington and South Carolina
US Sen. Lindsey Graham, a longtime Republican from South Carolina and ally of President Donald Trump, died on July 11 following an aortic dissection, according to a preliminary finding from the Washington, DC, medical examiner. He was 71.
Graham began his political career in the early ’90s after serving as a city and county attorney in South Carolina. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 1994 and the US Senate in 2002.
Tributes from lawmakers and international allies who worked closely with the Republican senator began pouring in the hours following the announcement of his death.
“His influence on the federal judiciary, our national defense, and his beloved South Carolina will be felt for generations,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune said in a statement.
CNN’s Jedd Rosche, Matthew Rehbein, Lauren Fox, Tim Lister, Ted Barrett, Nicky Robertson, Jamie Gumbrecht and Diego Mendoza contributed to this report.
