Vice President JD Vance (R-OH) and Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) spoke at a memorial service for the late Senator Lindsey Graham [1].

The tributes mark the loss of a long-serving legislative figure and highlight the personal and political bonds within the Republican leadership. The ceremony served as a formal gathering of government officials to recognize Graham's career before his funeral at the National Cathedral [2].

The memorial took place in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda [3]. This location is traditionally reserved for the most distinguished citizens of the country, signaling the high regard in which the late senator was held by his peers and the executive branch [3].

During the service, Thune reflected on the personal impact of the senator's death. "I feel his absence every day," Thune said [4].

Vance also delivered remarks remembering Graham, contributing to a series of tributes that described the senator as an "American original" [1]. The event drew a wide array of officials to the Rotunda to pay their final respects in a public setting before the private funeral proceedings began [2].

Throughout the ceremony, speakers focused on Graham's tenure in the Senate and his role in shaping national policy. The transition from the Capitol Rotunda to the National Cathedral follows the standard protocol for high-ranking federal officials who died while in the public eye [2].

“"I feel his absence every day."”

The use of the U.S. Capitol Rotunda for the memorial service underscores the senator's perceived significance within the federal government. By having both the Vice President and the Senate Majority Leader lead the tributes, the event signaled a unified front of Republican leadership in honoring a colleague who maintained deep ties across both the executive and legislative branches.