WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump, congressional colleagues and world leaders Tuesday will say their final goodbye to Sen.Lindsey Graham, the influential and colorful foreign policy hawk whose sudden death this month at age 71 stunned Washington and reverberated in capitals around the globe.Two days of ceremonies and funeral services will begin around 10 a.m.
ET Tuesday when Graham’s casket arrives at the Capitol for a brief ceremony in the rotunda that will include nods to both his military service and his more than three decades in Congress.The ceremony will be private but livestreamed.From there, Graham’s casket will depart for Washington National Cathedral for an invitation-only funeral service at 2 p.m.
ET.That also will be livestreamed.Trump is expected to speak at the funeral.
Cabinet officials and congressional and military leaders are expected to be on hand, as are global leaders who viewed Graham as a key American ally on defense and foreign policy matters, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.Also present will be Graham’s sister and successor, Sen.Darline Graham, R-S.C., who was sworn in to her late brother’s seat this month and plans to run for a full term in an Aug.
11 primary.Remembrances will continue at the South Carolina State House on Wednesday morning.Graham’s casket will be carried by a South Carolina State Guard horse-drawn military wagon, known as a caisson, followed by an F-16 flyover to mark his more than three decades in the Air Force and Air Force Reserve.A funeral service, open to the public, will be held at First Baptist Church of Columbia.
A private family burial will take place in Pickens County, where Graham was born and raised.ShareAdd NBC News to GoogleScott WongScott Wong is a senior congressional reporter for NBC News.Frank Thorp VFrank Thorp V is a coordinating producer and off-air reporter covering Congress for NBC News, managing coverage of the Senate...