The entire U.S. political establishment is still dealing with the sudden death of one of Congress’ most enduring members.
Sen. Lindsey Graham passed away late Saturday evening in his Washington, D.C., residence, news that sent shockwaves throughout the nation’s capital that reverberated all across the country.
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Now, emergency dispatch audio and photographs from the night Graham died have provided new details about the extensive life-saving efforts made before his death.
Audio obtained by CNN and The Wall Street Journal indicates that emergency medical personnel were dispatched to Graham’s home Saturday night after receiving a report of a possible cardiac arrest.
According to WSJ, first responders arrived at a residence south of the U.S. Capitol shortly before 8:30 p.m. Public records identify the property as one of Graham’s listed addresses.
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Emergency crews reportedly began performing CPR on an individual experiencing cardiac arrest.
Officials later advised over the radio that an unidentified woman, who said she was driving from Baltimore to the residence, called dispatchers to report that the home’s front door had been left unlocked.
When first responders arrived, however, they found the door locked.
At approximately 8:35 p.m., emergency personnel informed dispatch they would force entry into the residence, according to the report.
About 15 minutes later, emergency medical crews radioed that CPR was still in progress, prompting dispatchers to send a supervisor to assist at the scene.
Graham was not identified by name in the emergency dispatch audio, and the patient was described as being 73 years old.
Photographs obtained by TMZ show paramedics making extensive efforts to save the senator’s life.
The images depict Graham on a stretcher being wheeled from his home as emergency responders surrounded him and continued providing medical care.
Graham’s office announced early Sunday that the South Carolina senator, who had served in the Senate since 2002, “passed away following a brief and sudden illness.”
His death came just two days after his 71st birthday.
In the emergency dispatch audio, the dispatcher can be heard directing emergency medical personnel to respond to a reported cardiac arrest at a residence identified as Graham’s, though the address was redacted.
The emergency call was placed from Graham’s residence at approximately 8:30 p.m., though officials have not publicly confirmed his cause of death.
Shortly after Graham’s death was announced, President Donald Trump paid tribute to the longtime senator in a post on Truth Social.
“Senator Lindsey Graham, one of the greatest people and Senators I have ever known, is dead!” Trump wrote.
“He was always working, and was a true American Patriot. Lindsey will be greatly missed!!! DETAILS AND ARRANGEMENTS TO FOLLOW. So sad!” he added.
Radio traffic from response to Sen. Graham’s home: Emergency radio traffic indicates that Senator Lindsey Graham suffered chest pains before going into cardiac arrest Saturday night. Efforts to revive the South Carolina lawmaker were not successful. Graham died two days after his… pic.twitter.com/xj9baJZr33
— Dave Statter (@STATter911) July 12, 2026
Now, less than 24 hours later, the medical examiner’s office in Washington, D.C., has issued a report identifying Graham’s cause of death.
The preliminary findings, released by Graham’s office, found that his death was caused by “aortic dissection due to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease.”
Aortic dissection is a critical medical emergency involving a tear in the inner wall of the aorta, which is the body’s main artery.
“The death certificate will be PENDING until all the toxicological and microscopic testing are finalized and at that point the death certificate will be updated to reflect the cause of death and appropriately classify the manner of death,” the statement added.
Jeffery W. Carroll, the chief of the Metropolitan Police Department, and Francisco J. Diaz, the chief medical examiner for the District of Columbia, confirmed the findings of the preliminary examination in a joint statement.
“Whenever an autopsy is performed in the District of Columbia, the pathologist also orders comprehensive toxicology testing and microcopy both of which take time to complete,” they said.
This article may contain commentary which reflects the author’s opinion.
