Sen. Lindsey Graham funeral set for July 28 in Washington, July 29 in South Carolina

A black drape and flowers mark the seat once belonging to the late Sen. Lindsey Graham at a Judiciary Committee hearing Wednesday. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call)

By Savannah Behrmann Posted July 17, 2026 at 2:41 PM

As Washington reels from the unexpected death of Sen. Lindsey Graham last weekend, his office on Friday released dates for expected memorials later this month, both in the nation’s capital and in his home state of South Carolina.

Taylor Reidy, who served as the late senator’s communications director, said Graham’s “life and legacy” will be celebrated on:

• Tuesday, July 28 — in Washington, D.C.
• Wednesday, July 29 — in Columbia and Pickens County, South Carolina

Graham died Saturday night at age 71 of an aortic dissection, according to preliminary findings by the D.C. medical examiner.

Possible Lying in State at the Capitol

Additional details about the memorials are expected to be released later. Sen. Tim Scott, Graham’s fellow South Carolinian in the chamber, told reporters Wednesday that it was his understanding efforts were being made for both a service at the National Cathedral and for the late senator to possibly lie in state at the Capitol.

“I think my understanding is that the offer has been made to lie in state,” Scott said at a press conference. “The process of figuring out when the National Cathedral would be made available at the exact same time that the global leaders who want to come and all the other national leaders who will be there has made it a little more difficult to get it done this week.”

Global Attendance Expected

The services for Graham, a long-standing foreign policy hawk, are expected to be heavily attended by world leaders and dignitaries, Scott said. That anticipated global attendance “complicated” holding the services this week, he continued.

Graham, who served in the Senate for 23 years, was known to travel extensively to meet and develop relationships with prime ministers, presidents, defense and foreign ministers, parliament members, and ambassadors.

Scott called Graham perhaps the most “prolific person on the issue of foreign policy in the United States Senate.”

“Wet and water,” Scott said. “Lindsey Graham and foreign policy. Inseparable.”

John T. Bennett contributed to this report.

Recent Stories

• Trump backs newly appointed Darline Graham for full Senate term
• ‘A dumber and grimmer place’ — Congressional Hits and Misses
• HHS research agency ends funding for dozens of health studies
• Dates set for Lindsey Graham funeral services
• Kids online safety push faces First Amendment hurdles
• The Factba.se deep dive on Trump fraud claims