A military base in South Carolina has been renamed after the late Sen. Lindsey Graham.
Joint Base Charleston, which houses the 628th Air Base Wing, will now be known as Joint Base Lindsey Graham to honor the Republican who died in June, according to an announcement made during a ceremony on Monday.
Sen. Darline Graham, Graham’s sister who has been appointed to serve the remainder of his term, unveiled a sign for the base alongside Hegseth, Republican South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster, and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
Graham, 71, known in part for his hawkish views on foreign policy, died earlier this summer from “aortic dissection due to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease,” according to his office, which had initially announced his death on social media by explaining that Graham had “a brief and sudden illness.” Media reports later revealed that emergency medical services tended to Graham at his home on Capitol Hill and administered CPR.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, speaking at the ceremony, paid tribute to Graham—a 33-year Air Force veteran who served as a judge advocate general on active-duty from 1982 to 1988, in the South Carolina Air National Guard until 1996, and in the Air Force Reserve until 2015.
“Sen. Lindsey Graham dedicated his life to serving this state and serving the armed forces of the United States,” Hegseth told gathered attendees including members of Congress, local leaders, airmen and other service members. “He served this nation both in uniform and in both houses of Congress.
“But in both capacities, it was always the same mission. He knew the timeless truth that to ensure peace, we must be prepared for war.”
Graham also inquired about the Defense Department’s push to attain $1.5 trillion in funding for the next fiscal year, Hegseth added, saying that the ex-senator supported even more money towards defense spending because he “wanted to ensure our military was as equipped as humanly possible.”
The C-17 Globemaster III base will also have graphics honoring Graham on their aircraft.
Other Tributes to Graham
The ceremony and base renaming followed other tributes to Graham following his death.
U.S. President Donald Trump ordered the U.S. to fly flags at half-staff after he died “in honor of the remarkable life and achievements” of Graham.
Graham was previously a vocal critic of Trump ahead of his first presidential run in 2016, but supported his reelection campaigns in 2020 and 2024.
Political figures from across the political spectrum also paid tribute to Graham on social media when he died.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, a Republican from South Dakota, called Graham a “trusted adviser and colleague to me and many others, and numerous presidents and heads of state have relied on his counsel.”
“I am saddened to learn of the passing of my former colleague, Senator Lindsey Graham,” former Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris wrote on X. “He was full of wit, energy, and charm, and he cared deeply about the Senate and the people of South Carolina. Doug and I are sending our thoughts and our prayers to his friends and loved ones.”
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