Sen. Lindsey Graham, 71, died of aortic dissection, heart disease, medical examiner reports

Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, the oldest and longest-serving senator, gave a floor speech Monday honoring Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., praising his sense of humor.

“Senator Graham loved to tell people how frugal I was, and if I were ever to open my billfold, dust and moss would come out of it,” Grassley said. “I don't know how many times I've heard that. Senator Graham always brought a smile to your face and levity to the halls of Congress.”

Grassley, 92, said Graham will be remembered for his many accomplishments for the Republican Party.

“Senator Graham deeply loved his country. He was a bold leader and impassioned national security hawk,” said Grassley. “He spoke his mind, as we all know, and we all know that he had the capability and the desire to work across the aisle. He was at the center of some of the most famous dealmaking groups in the past 30 years.”

“He loved the Senate as an institution, and his hardworking staff was like family to him. Most importantly, he dutifully served the people of South Carolina, and his roots ran deep every day of his life,” he added.

Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., said his Republican colleague Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., will be missed following his sudden death.

“I don't think you can replace the irreplaceable. And he's going to be deeply missed,” Daines said Monday.

Daines said he would speak with Graham frequently, noting that Graham was a champion of a bill moving through Congress that would target third-party nations buying Russian energy with sanctions.

“There's at least pass this sanctions bill, frankly, in honor of Lindsey,” Daines said.

Rep. Mario Díaz-Balart, R-Fla., also remarked on Graham's passing over the weekend.

“I think for the country, he was just always a steadfast, pro-American voice who believed that we should support our allies and confront our adversaries and was not shy about doing that," Díaz-Balart said. "And so I will miss him a lot.”

“He was always on the side of the United States, of the American people, of the taxpayer and of our allies,” he added.

Stephen Miller, a policy advisor for the White House, paid tribute to the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., on Monday afternoon, calling him a personal "friend."

"Lindsey was of a mold that I don’t think we’re going to see for a very long time," Miller said. "He was someone who really understood how the power of rhetoric, how the power of communication as a senator can actually change outcomes."

"Lindsey really believed you could change people’s minds through the force and persuasion of his rhetoric."

Miller, like many members of the Trump administration, continues to reel from Graham’s sudden death late on Saturday evening, paying homage to a key ally in the Senate. His remarks reveal a closer relationship between the two than has previously been reported.

"Lindsey, I miss you, Godspeed and I’ll see you on the other side," Miller said.

While Graham and President Donald Trump had an up-and-down relationship before and after Trump’s first term, Graham was also a close friend to the president and highly influential on domestic and foreign policy. Graham consistently urged the U.S. to assume a leadership role in the international community, arguing the world was safer and more stable with American engagement.

"Lindsey was the most effective, consistent advocate for the president’s agenda in the Senate," Miller said. "That is a historical legacy that will always belong to him."

Miller added a few other details about their relationship, expressing gratitude for Graham’s readiness to work with the administration.

This post is an excerpt from an article by Leo Briceno and Peter D'Abrosca.

The younger sister of Sen. Lindsey Graham will be sworn into the Senate on Tuesday to serve the remainder of his term.

Darline Graham Nordone will take her oath at around 2:30 p.m. ET, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., told Fox News.

Nordone was appointed to fill Graham's seat on Monday, following his passing over the weekend.

President Donald Trump called Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., a “great politician,” saying “it's hard to believe he's gone.”

Trump said he spoke with Graham before he passed away over the weekend, noting that the late lawmaker was a “little tired” but “felt fine.”

“And then this whole thing happened, and it's... Boy, it's tough,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.

“He was a fantastic man. He was actually a great politician," Trump added. "He got along with almost everybody. And when he didn't get along, they knew it.”

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Monday pledged to work with the sister of Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who was appointed Monday to serve the remaining months of her brother's term.

Darline Graham Nordone was appointed by South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster to serve the rest of Graham's term before a new candidate is elected to fill the seat.

"As a South Carolina native, I can think of no more fitting tribute to Lindsey Graham's legacy of service to our state and our nation than seeing his beloved sister carry it forward," Bessent wrote on X.

"Darline has always been at her brother’s side and I know she will be an outstanding interim Senator," he added. "The U.S. Treasury will do everything possible to support her and her staff as they work on the President’s agenda and continue to provide strong constituent services for the great people of South Carolina."

Meanwhile, Sen. Katie Boyd Britt, R-Ala., said no one was more fitting than Nordone to finish her brother's term.

"I stand ready to welcome Darline to the Senate and work alongside her to continue the work of my dear friend," Britt wrote. "There is no doubt that Lindsey will be smiling down from above as she is sworn in to fight for the state and nation to which he dedicated his life and held his unwavering commitment."

Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said he counted Lindsey Graham as a trusted friend, even when others questioned his association with the Republican lawmaker.

“My friends and supporters back in Illinois, many times just shook their head and said, ‘Durbin, what are you doing with Lindsey? You shouldn't be working with him,’” Durbin said Monday on the Senate floor. “They didn't know how the Senate works, and they certainly didn't know him.”

He noted that Graham was an early supporter of the Dream Act, legislation to protect undocumented immigrants brought to the United States as children.

“His support took guts at a time when issues surrounding immigration were becoming politically toxic,” Durbin said. “Lindsey stuck his neck out. For me and for these young people, I will never, ever forget it.”

“I knew that his word was always good,” he added. “If he told me he was going to vote for something or some person, he did. He delivered. And we had a good working relationship between us. No cheap shots, no stabs in the back.”

In the Senate, there’s a black veil covering a desk. On top there’s a bowl of striking white roses. That’s where Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., used to sit.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., pointed to that desk during an emotional tribute to the late Senator on Monday. Graham was a confidant, trusted advisor and friend to Thune. And through tears, he set about remembering the lawmaker who spent 30 years in Washington, D.C., making a mark on his state and country.

"It's difficult to believe that Lindsey Graham is no longer here with us," Thune said. "That we won't run into him at a meeting today or share a joke with him at this afternoon's vote. The halls of the Senate already feel empty without him. And I know I'm not alone in that feeling."

As Thune spoke about Graham, the late lawmaker’s staff sat in the Senate chamber as tears filled the room. And since Thune became the leader of the Senate GOP, you would oftentime see Graham enter his office just off the Senate floor.

He was there to talk down Republican rebels who threatened to sink President Donald Trump’s "big, beautiful bill," and once earlier this year stormed into Thune’s office declaring his resistance to a deal struck by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and the president to avert a government shutdown.

But he was there, and Thune noted that "Lindsey was fearless in his commitment to the causes that he espoused."

This post is an excerpt from an article by Alex Miller.

South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster named the sister of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., to serve out the remainder of his term.

In a news conference, McMaster named Darline Graham Nordone to replace her older brother in the U.S. Senate.

“It's my honor to ask his little sister, Darline Graham, to finish his work for him now,” the governor said.

“It is such an honor. Lindsey has always been there for me and now I will be there for him,” Nordone said. “My brother was the most amazing person, an outstanding leader, and just a genuinely good man.”

“It is such a privilege to get to finish some of his important work, and I promise to work hard over the next several months to support the president and carry forward the efforts of my brother on behalf of the citizens of South Carolina and the United States,” she added.

Nordone said Graham would have wanted her to finish his work and to support President Donald Trump's agenda.

“I know Lindsey thought the world of his staff and colleagues, and with their support, I feel confident,” she said. “I think this is what Lindsey would have wanted, and I plan to honor him in this way. Now to Lindsey: I miss you more than I can even put into words. But I'm going to do this—I got it.”

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., remembered the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., as a passionate lawmaker, saying he couldn't imagine a world without his colorful colleague.

Appearing on “America's Newsroom,” Thune remembered his fellow Republican as an institutional giant in the Senate.

“There was nobody, nobody on the other side of the aisle, on the Democrat side, if they needed to get something done, there was no better person to work with than Lindsey Graham,” he said. “It is going to be very, very hard to envision the United States Senate, our country, certainly South Carolina, or for that matter, the world without Lindsey,” he added.

Thune remembered Graham as a very good friend who had spent time with him in South Dakota over the nearly 30 years they had known each other.

“I'm for sure sitting with him out in South Dakota looking over Lake Oahe and watching the stars,” Thune said of one of his fondest memories with Graham. “It's a beautiful memory.”

“We've been to just a lot of places together through the years, but more important than all of that is just the impact he's had on this country and the voice that he has been on so many issues that are critical to America's national security interests and to protecting the American people,” added Thune.

Senate Chaplain Barry Black honored the late Sen. Lindsey Graham , R-S.C., on Monday with a prayer in which he thanked the lawmaker for his public service.

“As flags fly at half-staff throughout our nation to honor Senator Lindsey Graham, we give thanks to you for his life and for his years of public service,” Black said. “Lord, we remember with gratitude his commitment to the responsibilities entrusted to him and the many ways he sought to serve the people of this country. Give comfort, strength, and peace to his family, friends, colleagues, and all who mourn his passing.”

Black also urged everyone to remember Graham's passing as a moment to value service over self-interest, “compassion over division, and hope over despair.”

“Oh Lord, support us all the day long until the shadows lengthen and the evening comes and the world is hushed. And the fever of life is over,” he said.

Darline Graham Nordone, the sister of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, has emerged as President Donald Trump’s preferred pick to temporarily fill the South Carolina Republican’s Senate seat in a cartaker role.

Trump urged South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster to appoint Nordone as a caretaker, calling it a “fabulous tribute to Lindsey, who loved her dearly.”

Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., has also been speaking with Nordone about the role, sources told Fox News.

Nordone has never held public office, but shared a uniquely close bond with Graham after their parents died when he was in his early 20s and she was 13. Graham became her legal guardian and helped raise her while building a career that took him from the Air Force to Congress.

McMaster is expected to announce his appointment 4 p.m. ET on Monday afternoon as Republicans prepare for a fast-moving special election process to decide who will seek the seat long term.

Fox News' Alex Miller, Adam Pack and Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.

Most people leave politics enriched in their bank accounts. Instead, late Sen. Lindsey Graham left the world enriched by his presence.

Despite spending more than three decades in Congress, Graham left behind comparatively modest wealth for a longtime Washington figure, according to a Fox News Digital review of financial disclosures.

The South Carolina Republican’s May filings estimated his net worth at about $1.4 million, with a lower-end estimate just above $600,000 and an upper estimate a little over $2.2 million.

Graham’s assets were held largely in mutual funds and government bonds, keeping him away from the stock-trading controversies that have followed some members of Congress.

Graham had a long rise from humble roots in South Carolina, where he helped run his family’s restaurant, later becoming an Air Force veteran and being the first in his family to attend college.

Graham died Saturday at 71.

Fox News' Robert Schmad contributed to this report.

Former Vice President Mike Pence paid tribute to the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, calling the South Carolina Republican an “American patriot” and a “matchless voice for freedom.”

Appearing on “The Faulkner Focus ,” Pence remembered Graham as a committed conservative who had a clear view of America’s allies and adversaries.

Pence pointed to Graham’s work on border security, his support for a strong U.S. military and his unwavering stance against Russian aggression in Ukraine.

He also highlighted Graham’s role in the confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, calling it one of the major legislative fights that defined Graham’s career.

Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., has endorsed President Donald Trump's recommendation to be Sen. Lindsey Graham's successor.

"Lindsey Graham’s sister, Darline Graham Nordone, would be a fantastic pick to serve out the reminder of the senate term," Scott wrote Monday on X, sharing Trump's Truth Social announcement.

"After speaking with Darline, there is no one better who understands Lindsey’s love for family, our state, and our country."

South Carolina Republican Gov. Henry McMaster has announced a 4 p.m. news conference to announce the selection to serve out the remainder of Graham's term until January.

A summer primary and November election will determine the holder of the seat for the following six years.

Scott has spoken multiple times with Darline over the last 24 hours, sources told Fox News Digital, and will join her for 4 p.m. ET announcement in Columbia, South Carolina.

She expected to be sworn into the U.S. Senate on Wednesday.

Fox News' Paul Steinhauser and Alex Miller contributed to this report.

First lady Melania Trump mourned the death of Sen. Lindsey Graham, posting a touching tribute on X.

"I am saddened by the unexpected passing of Senator Graham," she wrote. "Lindsey devoted his life to the service of our nation, demonstrating an unwavering commitment to his duties.

"My deepest sympathies go out to his family, friends, and all those whose lives were touched by his enduring legacy.”

Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., reflected on the legacy of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, praising his long career and deep commitment to public service.

Appearing on Fox News, Lankford highlighted Graham’s work on foreign policy and Middle East peace efforts, saying Graham brought passion and persistence to some of the toughest issues facing the country.

He also remembered Graham’s blunt, candid style, which made him one of the Senate’s most recognizable and outspoken voices.

Lankford said Graham’s impact will be felt well beyond Washington as lawmakers continue to honor his service to South Carolina and the nation.

"Nobody" can fill the void left behind by the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., according to Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas.

"He will be missed," Cruz said on his podcast Monday. "He left a legacy that was extraordinary, and I will say whether you agreed with him or disagreed with him, Lindsey loved this country, and he devoted every waking moment of his life to fighting for this country.

"That was his mission, and I admired that. I admired that it was real. It was genuine, and he made a profound difference."

Cruz worked most closely with Graham on Iran, calling him an “incredible ally” in pushing President Donald Trump to take a hard line against Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.

“The president has said repeatedly, Iran will never get a nuclear weapon," Cruz said. "There will be zero enrichment, and Lindsey was an incredible ally that I was fighting alongside. And the president listened to us, which is part of why we've seen the president's incredible strong leadership taking out Iran's military capacity and stopping them from getting nuclear weapons that was one of the most important legacies Lindsey ever had.”

He also praised Graham’s energy, patriotism and commitment to public service, saying the late senator “devoted every waking moment of his life to fighting for this country.”

“Lindsey Graham made an enormous difference for our country,” Cruz said.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., honored the late Sen. Lindsey Graham on Monday while urging the Senate to move quickly on their bipartisan Russia sanctions bill.

“Sen. Graham was exultant – he was as enthusiastic and exuberant as I’ve ever seen him when we spoke in our last lengthy conversation," Blumenthal told reporters.

"He said to me, this is a big effing deal. We all did good, and he was ready to go on the floor of the Senate.

Blumenthal said he and Graham “disagreed profoundly and passionately” on many issues, including Iran, Trump’s tax cuts, the SAVE Act and President Donald Trump himself, but came together on Ukraine and national security.

"No one can truly replace him ,” Blumenthal said of Graham. “No one can fully fill his shoes. But in his memory, I hope my colleagues on both sides of the aisle will unite behind this bill.”

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., reflected on the sudden death of Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. saying the South Carolina Republican’s influence will be felt across the Senate and beyond.

“I can’t imagine this place without Lindsey,” Thune told Fox News' “America’s Newsroom,” citing Graham’s impact on national security, the judiciary, budget fights and the pro-life movement.

Thune, R-S.D., said he spoke with Graham’s sister and the governor of South Carolina as lawmakers continue mourning the loss of one of the Senate GOP’s most recognizable voices.

Graham’s bipartisan work was evident as Democrats often turned to him when they needed to get something done, according to Thune.

“There was no better person to work with than Lindsey Graham,” Thune said, calling him fearless in the legislative process.

President Donald Trump called on the U.S. Senate to pass the CLARITY Act in honor of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.

"In honor of Senator Lindsey Graham, a big supporter, the U.S. Senate should pass the Clarity Act," Trump wrote Monday on Truth Social.

"China, and many other countries, would like to take complete and total control of this major financial 'happening,' as well as A.I., where we are now leading, but where they are fighting hard.

"Don’t let China win on either subject!!!"

There are three countries mourning the loss of late Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., according to President Donald Trump, hailing the large voice for Israel, Ukraine and the U.S.

“We lost a great man,” Trump told Monday's “Fox & Friends,” calling Graham “a great politician,” “a kind man” and “a very smart person.”

Graham fought hard for Israel, Ukraine and other countries, but said “the real loser was the United States of America.”

He also praised Graham’s work ethic and media presence, saying the senator approached public service with patriotism, pride and preparation.

“He did it because he loved our country,” Trump said.

Late Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., was "99.9" percent perfect, according to President Donald Trump on Monday.

Trump reflected on his complicated relationship, saying the two became close allies after clashing during the 2016 Republican presidential primary.

Graham was initially “totally against” him and targeted him on the campaign trail in South Carolina, Trump told "Fox & Friends," but added their relationship changed after Graham exited the race.

“Once that ended, I became really good friends with him,” he said.

Trump also pointed to Graham’s public break with him after Jan. 6 as the one major strain in their relationship, saying Graham later regretted the remarks.

“I give him a 99.9 instead of 100,” Trump said, describing Graham’s career as “amazing” and calling him a major part of his political story.

President Donald Trump detailed the last-hour call from late Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., talking about undoing the Senate filibuster to pass the Save America Act.

"He came back from Ukraine and he called me and which didn't surprise me at all, and he said, I'm back and told me a couple of things he was very strong on: Fighting for the Save America Act," Trump told "Fox & Friends."

"And I'm not sure if he was at the beginning, but he really became the primary advocate for it, and I think he would have felt the same way about terminating the filibuster, which was so important. I mean, it's so important that the Republicans have to do it. So insane."

The late Sen. Lindsey Graham would want “nothing more” than for Congress to pass a Russia sanctions bill, according to Rep. Mike McCaul, R-Texas, pointing to the South Carolina Republican’s long record as a forceful voice on foreign policy.

Appearing on “One Nation,” McCaul reflected on Graham’s influence in Congress, describing him as a lawmaker who shaped debates on national security, Russia, Ukraine and America’s role abroad.

McCaul said Graham’s legacy extended beyond foreign policy, citing his impact on domestic policy and his ability to drive major conversations inside the Republican Party.

Tributes poured in for late Sen. Lindsey Graham, 71, with lawmakers from both parties remembering his decades of public service and influence on foreign policy, while they question how to replace the irreplaceable and irascible.

Sens. Chris Coons, D-Del., and Cory Booker, D-N.J., were among those honoring Graham’s legacy, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also reflected on his role as a prominent GOP voice on the world stage.

Rep. Sheri Biggs, R-S.C., discussed Graham’s service to South Carolina and the political process now ahead to fill his Senate seat.

Graham is being remembered as a forceful advocate, a loyal South Carolinian and one of the Senate’s most consequential Republican figures.

The late Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., was remembered as a public servant whose relationships reached across party lines and whose humor helped soften even the Senate’s sharpest divides, according to former Sen. Joe Manchin, I-W.Va.

Manchin told “Fox & Friends” of Graham’s commitment to compromise, his deep understanding of his colleagues and his ability to bring levity to difficult moments in Washington.

Manchin also recalled Graham’s influence during Brett Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court confirmation fight, saying the South Carolina Republican’s advice helped shape his pivotal vote.

Lawmakers continue to honor Graham as a loyal friend, skilled legislator and one of the Senate’s most memorable personalities.

Trey Gowdy delivered an emotional eulogy for his friend Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., reflecting on the life beyond politics.

Gowdy remembered Graham’s humble beginnings in his home state of South Carolina, and spoke about the personal qualities that shaped his decades of public service.He described Graham as a loyal friend, devoted family man and tireless public servant whose legacy extended far beyond Washington.

The tribute also touched on the fragility of life, with Gowdy honoring Graham’s enduring impact on his state, his country and the people who knew him best.

Memorials for late Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., are going to be "maxed out" for a full week, according to President Donald Trump.

"We lowered the flags for a full week for Lindsey, which is, we maxed out and we've got every American flag in the country lowered until Saturday night," Trump told Monday's "Fox & Friends." "He was a special man.

"And we're going to give him a special type of funeral because he deserves it."

Sen. Lindsey Graham’s fiery defense of Brett Kavanaugh during his 2018 Supreme Court confirmation fight was “one of the 10 greatest moments in Congress,” President Donald Trump remembered Monday.

“When he got angry, like he did in the case of Brett Kavanaugh, it was so impactful,” Trump told "Fox & Friends." “I think it saved Brett becoming a justice.”

Democrats were preparing to “do something very bad” to Kavanaugh before Graham “went on his tirade,” calling the moment “a top 10 in politics.”

"I think it was one of the great 10 moments of Congress, if you want to know the truth," Trump continued. "I said that was one of the 10 greatest moments in Congress, and I think you wouldn't find 10 other cases where somebody did what he was able to do there."

Trump compared it to "the top 10 in sports: This was a top 10 in politics."

“He saved Brett from a very, very unfair decision,” Trump said, adding that Kavanaugh was “so qualified and such a good man.”

President Trump remembered his friend Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., fondly Monday morning after his sudden death Saturday night.

"Well, I don't feel great," Trump told "Fox & Friends." "He was a great guy, and he was a friend. He would call me all the time.

"I'd say, stop calling me, Lindsey. It was amazing, you know?

"He just didn't stop. And he would be. He was a worker. He was a total workaholic politician."

Remembering the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., cannot be done without his impassioned speech during Brett Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court confirmation hearings in 2018.

Lee Holmes, former chief counsel, helps resurface details of Graham’s fiery defense of Kavanaugh, when the senator denounced the process as an “unethical sham,” as a turning point in the nationally watched confirmation battle.

President Donald Trump called it Graham's "finest moment."

Graham showed courage, compassion and resolve during one of the most contentious Senate hearings in recent memory, according to Holmes.

The moment became one of Graham’s most memorable public stands, helping cement his place as a forceful defender of conservative judicial nominees and a key Republican voice in the Senate.

Fellow South Carolinian Ainsley Earhardt honored the life and legacy of Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., reflecting on the rise from humble beginnings to becoming one of the most influential voices in American politics.

Earhardt highlighted Graham’s early personal hardship, including the responsibility he took on after the deaths of his parents, when he helped raise his younger sister.

Graham’s life was marked by resilience, loyalty to South Carolina and a deep commitment to public service, she remembered after the senator died Saturday night from a sudden illness.

Earhardt also pointed to Graham’s foreign policy expertise, which helped make him a respected and formidable figure in the Senate across decades of national security debates.

Graham will be remembered for his tireless work, his devotion to his state and his lasting impact on the country.

The Senate returns this week without two longtime Republicans stalwarts on the floor, as Republicans face a packed July agenda with a narrower margin after Sen. Lindsey Graham’s death and Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., still recovering from a June health emergency.

Graham’s sudden death at 71 leaves Republicans down a key vote as Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., looks to keep his conference unified behind President Donald Trump’s priorities.

McConnell, R-Ky., said Sunday he is not yet able to return to the Senate floor after a fall that left him briefly unconscious and led to a hospital stay complicated by mild pneumonia.

The absences come as the Senate faces a crowded slate, including nominations, FISA reauthorization, government funding, renewed Iran strikes and Trump’s push to move the SAVE America Act.

Democrats are expected to test GOP unity, while Republicans try to avoid handing Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., leverage on must-pass legislation such as defense and spending bills.

Fox News' Alex Miller contributed to this report.

Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., addressed his own health emergency Sunday as the death of Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., further tightened Republicans’ Senate majority.

McConnell said in a statement to constituents that he was hospitalized after a fall last month that briefly left him unconscious. He said doctors found no broken bones, concussion, heart attack, stroke, tumors or hemorrhages, but he developed a mild case of pneumonia during his hospital stay.

McConnell says he moved from hospital care to a rehabilitation center, where he is continuing physical therapy and working toward a return to the Senate floor.

“On the advice of my doctors, I won’t be able to return to the Senate floor to vote quite yet,” McConnell said, adding that he remains engaged with staff and Senate colleagues on appropriations, midterm politics and constituent services.

"I'll keep working hard to get back on the Senate floor as soon as possible," McConnell added without providing a timeline for his return.

McConnell’s update comes as Republicans confront Graham’s sudden death at 71, creating a closely watched South Carolina vacancy and narrowing the GOP’s working margin in the Senate to just 51-47.

Reuters contributed to this report.

President Donald Trump said Sunday he has somebody great in mind to succeed the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, S.C., but said it was too soon to discuss the pick publicly as his friend first must be fondly remembered.

Graham’s sudden death has set off an urgent succession process in South Carolina, where Republican Gov. Henry McMaster has the power to appoint a temporary replacement to serve out the rest of Graham’s current term.

The decision could carry major political weight, giving the appointee a head start in the race to hold the seat long term.

State law also sets up a fast-moving special election process. A filing period is expected to begin July 21, followed by a Republican primary Aug. 11 and a possible runoff Aug. 25 if no candidate wins a majority.

The winner would face Democrat Annie Andrews in November.

Republicans are already weighing how to avoid a damaging intra-party fight in a reliably red state. Former Kevin McCarthy communications director Mark Bednar said Trump and McMaster will need to coordinate closely on both the interim appointment and the special-election candidate, warning that a fractured GOP field could complicate what should otherwise be a favorable race.

Potential Republican names include Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette and Rep. Russell Fry, R-S.C., though McMaster has not announced whom he will appoint. Whoever gets the nod will be stepping into one of the most closely watched Senate vacancies of the year — and into the seat of one of Trump’s most dependable allies in Congress.

President Donald Trump said late Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., called him Saturday night shortly before the South Carolina Republican’s sudden death, describing the senator as tired from travel but otherwise in good spirits.

“He was full of vim and vigor,” Trump said in a Sunday phone interview. “He was tired. He said, I’m tired because it’s a long trip, but other than that, he was fine.”

Graham, 71, had recently returned from a trip to Ukraine and was scheduled to appear on Sunday morning TV to talk about the Russian and Iran wars.

Instead, his office announced that he died Saturday evening after what it described as a “brief and sudden” illness.

Trump reflected on Graham’s Senate career, calling the senator’s 2018 defense of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh his “finest moment” and saying Graham’s remarks helped turn the confirmation fight around.

Fox News' CJ Womack contributed to this report.

Emergency 911 dispatch audio reviewed by Fox News Digital offers a clearer timeline of the response to Sen. Lindsey Graham’s Washington, D.C., home before his death was publicly announced early Sunday morning by a President Donald Trump Truth Social post.

The radio traffic shows first responders were dispatched shortly after 8 p.m. ET on Saturday for a reported cardiac arrest.

About 20 to 25 minutes after the initial dispatch, radio traffic indicated CPR was underway inside the home. The audio did not identify Graham by name or describe the patient’s condition.

Additional radio traffic later indicated the scene would be handled as a “Capitol Police matter only.” The final relevant radio communication came shortly after 9:30 p.m.

Graham’s office announced Sunday that the 71-year-old senator had died Saturday evening after a “brief and sudden” illness.

Preliminary findings from the D.C. medical examiner later cited an aortic dissection due to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease, though officials said the death certificate will remain pending until additional testing is complete.

Fox News' Brittany Miller and Adam Sabes contributed to this report.

Preliminary findings from the District of Columbia Office of the Chief Medical Examiner identified Sen. Lindsey Graham’s cause of death as an aortic dissection due to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease, according to a statement from his office.

An aortic dissection is a rare but life-threatening emergency that occurs when a tear develops in the inner layer of the aorta, the body’s largest artery. Blood can rush through the tear, forcing the layers of the artery wall apart and potentially cutting off blood flow to vital organs or causing a fatal rupture.

Doctors say aortic dissections can develop suddenly and may resemble a heart attack or stroke.

Warning signs can include sudden severe chest or upper back pain, shortness of breath, fainting, severe abdominal pain, weakness or numbness on one side of the body, or difficulty speaking.

Medical experts stress that the condition requires immediate emergency care. Treatment depends on the location of the tear, but may include emergency surgery, medication to reduce blood pressure and heart strain, or other procedures to repair the damaged artery.

While not every aortic dissection can be prevented, doctors say controlling high blood pressure, managing cholesterol, avoiding smoking and treating underlying heart or vascular conditions can help reduce risk.

Fox News' Senior Health Editor Melissa Rudy contributed to this report.

Late Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., died from an aortic dissection, according to preliminary findings from the Washington, D.C., medical examiner Sunday.

An aortic dissection occurs when there is a tear in the aorta, the body’s main artery carrying blood from the heart.

Graham’s office said the medical examiner found the condition was due to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease, commonly described as hardening of the arteries. It has raised Americans' awareness of heart disease and general health.

The finding offers the first medical explanation for Graham’s sudden death, though it was described as preliminary and toxicology reports remain pending.

The natural cause of death finding dispelled speculation of a potential assassination attempt by either Russia or Iran amid the ongoing wars.

Reuters contributed to this report.