Republican U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham has died following a sudden illness, his office confirmed in a statement released late Saturday night local time. The announcement expressed gratitude from his family for public prayers and requested privacy during this difficult period.

Graham served as chairman of the Senate Budget Committee and was regarded as one of the most prominent members of the Senate. He was a key Republican voice on defense and international affairs. The statement did not provide further details about the nature of his illness or the circumstances of his death.

According to the report, Graham had recently returned to the United States after completing a visit to Kyiv, Ukraine. No additional information about funeral arrangements or political responses was included in the statement.