President Donald Trump said he spoke with former Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) on the phone a few hours before Graham died [1].
The conversation provides a rare glimpse into the final moments of a prominent political figure and the nature of his relationship with the president.
Speaking on NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday, July 12, 2026, Trump reflected on the call that took place Saturday night [1]. He said Graham told him he was "a little tired" [2].
Trump noted that Graham had just returned from a trip to Ukraine [3]. "He just landed from Ukraine. I said, that's a long trip to make," Trump said [3].
Graham died on July 11, 2024, at the age of 71 [4]. Reports on the exact timing of the final conversation vary. One source said the call occurred about two hours before his death [5], while another report indicated it happened approximately one hour before the 911 dispatch [6].
The president discussed the interaction from the Meet the Press studio in Washington, D.C. [1]. The timing of the call highlights the sudden nature of the former senator's death following his international travel.
“"He was a little tired."”
The account of the final phone call emphasizes the suddenness of Graham's death and the physical toll of his recent diplomatic travel to Ukraine. By detailing the conversation, Trump underscores a close personal and professional bond with the late senator, while the discrepancy in reported timing—ranging from one to two hours before death—reflects the initial chaos of the emergency response.
