Graham’s death puts Trump agenda items on shakier Senate ground

Sen. Lindsey Graham’s death removes one of President Donald Trump’s most useful Senate allies at a tense moment for the Republican agenda. For investors, the near-term question is whether Washington can still move on fiscal policy, defense spending, sanctions and agency leadership before the midterm election.

Graham, a South Carolina Republican, died at 71, CNBC reported. He chaired the Senate Budget Committee and also sat on the Appropriations, Judiciary, and Environment and Public Works committees, giving him influence across spending, courts, nominations and infrastructure-related policy.

His role mattered because the Senate runs on vote math and relationships. CNBC described Graham as a lawmaker with close ties to Trump and a record of working with Democrats on some issues, including aid for Ukraine. That made him a bridge between the White House, Senate Republicans and occasional cross-party coalitions.

Voting bill faces a harder path

One immediate issue is the SAVE America Act, a Trump-backed bill that would require voter ID and proof of citizenship to vote, along with other White House priorities, according to CNBC.

Trump told NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday that Graham’s death was “a big blow” to the bill. “He was pushing for the SAVE America Act like crazy,” Trump said.

The bill already faced steep odds in the Senate, CNBC reported, because Democrats strongly oppose it. Most legislation needs 60 votes to overcome the filibuster, a Senate rule that allows a minority to block action unless enough senators agree to end debate.

Trump said he had spoken with Graham on Saturday night about the legislation. “He called, and he said we’re all set for the Save America Act,” Trump said on NBC.

Budget work loses its chairman

Graham’s death also leaves the Senate Budget Committee without its chair as Republicans consider another reconciliation package. Reconciliation is a budget process that can let certain tax and spending bills pass the Senate with a simple majority, instead of the 60 votes usually needed to get around a filibuster.

CNBC reported that Congress has already passed two reconciliation bills this year, including Trump’s tax-and-spending law known as the “one big, beautiful bill” and another measure funding immigration enforcement agencies after federal agents from those agencies shot and killed two American citizens earlier this year.

A possible third package was still unsettled, according to CNBC. It was expected to touch on military spending to refill stockpiles used during the war with Iran, affordability issues and fraud. Because the Budget Committee directs reconciliation bills, Graham’s absence disrupts planning around that process.

Attorney general nominee faces tighter numbers

Trump’s nominee for attorney general, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, now has less room for error in committee.

The Senate Judiciary Committee had 12 Republicans and 10 Democrats before Graham’s death, CNBC reported. The new split is 11 Republicans and 10 Democrats. If all Democrats oppose Blanche and one Republican joins them, the nomination would fail in committee by an 11-10 vote.

Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., serves on the committee and is retiring at the end of his term. CNBC reported that Tillis is undecided on Blanche, though he has said he has a positive view of him and has met with Trump’s former personal attorney.

Ukraine aid and Russia sanctions lose an advocate

Graham was also a prominent supporter of Ukraine as it fights Russia’s invasion, which CNBC said began in 2021. He had recently returned from Ukraine before his death.

Trump entered office promising to end the war and was more hostile toward Ukraine than former President Joe Biden, CNBC reported. The president publicly criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy early in his second term and repeatedly threatened to cut off aid.

Graham lobbied for continued support, according to CNBC, and Trump later backed steps including licensing Ukraine to make Patriot missile interceptors, a long-range defense system Kyiv has sought.

On Friday, Graham announced that he and other senators had reached an agreement with the White House on an updated sanctions package targeting Russia. The senators said the legislative and executive branches needed to work together to impose a “heavy price” on buyers of Russian oil and natural gas.

This story draws on original reporting from CNBC.