Hours after Senator Lindsey Graham's death was announced, a flurry of baseless conspiracy theories emerged, with extremists and right-wing influencers pointing fingers at Russia, Israel, or Iran for his passing.
The 71-year-old South Carolina senator died Saturday night at his Capitol Hill home shortly after returning from Ukraine. A preliminary report from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Washington, D.C., suggested he likely suffered an aortic tear linked to hardening of the arteries. The report stated that the death certificate is pending further toxicological and microscopic testing.
Despite law enforcement officials telling CNN that no foul play was suspected, conspiracy theorists quickly jumped into action. Many colleagues paid tribute to Graham, but online, speculation ran rampant that his death was an assassination orchestrated by foreign adversaries he had long opposed.
Laura Loomer, a prominent conspiracy theorist, was among the first to cast doubt on natural causes. She suggested a link to Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps, citing a recent funeral in Tehran where posters calling for the assassination of Americans, including Graham, were displayed. Loomer questioned on X if he was "poisoned by a foreign adversary," a post that garnered 1.8 million views, though she offered no evidence.
Further fueling these theories, some pointed to FBI director Kash Patel's statement that the agency was assisting local authorities, interpreting it as a sign of a cover-up. Others, like former CIA contractor Tony Seruga, claimed the "aortic dissection" explanation was a "perfect cover diagnosis" for chemical attacks. Meanwhile, some blamed Russia due to Graham's strong support for Ukraine and criticism of President Putin, with commentator Marc Thiessen calling for a full autopsy and toxicology screen to rule out foul play.
Even figures like Bill Browder, who has been targeted by Russia, suggested immediate tests to rule out foul play, noting his experience with suspicious Russian-related deaths. Alex Jones promoted unsubstantiated claims that Graham died during a Russian bombing of a drone factory in Ukraine. Interestingly, Putin advisor Alexander Dugin, who had previously advocated for Graham's assassination, offered his own theory, suggesting Israel's Mossad might be responsible to push Trump toward war with Iran.
