WASHINGTON — Newly reviewed emergency dispatch audio has provided additional details about the medical emergency at the Washington, D.C., home of U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham before his death on Saturday, July 11.
According to audio reviewed by USA TODAY, emergency responders were dispatched to Graham’s Capitol Hill residence after receiving a report of a person experiencing chest pain. The South Carolina Republican, a longtime ally of President Donald Trump and one of the Senate’s most influential lawmakers, later died following what his office described as a “brief and sudden illness.” An official cause of death has not yet been announced.
Emergency dispatch records indicate that responders were sent to the residence at approximately 8:30 p.m. ET. The caller, identified over the radio as an unidentified woman traveling from Baltimore, reportedly told dispatchers she believed the home’s front door was unlocked. However, first responders reported that the door was deadbolted and that no one answered after repeated attempts to make contact.
The dispatcher subsequently requested assistance from the Metropolitan Police Department to gain access to the home. Approximately 20 minutes later, emergency personnel radioed that cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) was underway and that a man was experiencing an apparent cardiac arrest.
Neither dispatchers nor responding personnel identified Graham by name during the radio transmissions. At one point, responders referred to a 73-year-old man, though Graham was reported to have been 71.
FBI Director Kash Patel later stated on X that the FBI was assisting local authorities and had made available any resources requested as officials handled the situation.
President Donald Trump also shared details of what he said was his final conversation with Graham. Speaking during an interview on NBC’s Meet the Press, Trump said the senator had recently returned from a trip to Ukraine and mentioned feeling tired after the lengthy journey.
“He said he’s a little tired. It’s a long trip, you know, many hours. And he had just gotten back,” Trump said.
According to Trump, emergency responders arrived at Graham’s residence shortly after the call ended.
“We thought we might even meet today. And then that was it,” Trump said. “It could have been his last call. I don’t know exactly.”
As of publication, officials have not released additional information regarding the circumstances surrounding Graham’s death. Authorities have also not announced whether further medical findings or an official cause of death will be made public.
Tributes have continued to pour in from colleagues, political leaders, and supporters remembering Graham’s decades of public service and his influence on U.S. national security and foreign policy.