Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, one of the most influential figures in the United States Congress in recent decades, received a tribute on Tuesday at the Capitol before the funeral planned at the Washington National Cathedral, after his sudden death on July 11.

Honors at the Capitol

Washington welcomed the start of the funeral ceremonies with an arrival ceremony at the Capitol, in which Graham's coffin, covered with the American flag, was carried by a team of bearers from the Armed Forces in recognition of his decades of service in the Air Force.

After the arrival of the coffin, a brief ceremony was held in the Rotunda of the Congress building.

During the tribute, among others, the US Vice President, JD Vance, and the leader of the Republican majority in the Senate, John Thune, spoke.

For his part, Vance recalled the differences that both had about the war in Ukraine but assured that they never affected the relationship between the two.

“He was a strong supporter of Ukraine and we had a heated discussion over lunch in the Senate,” Vance said before adding, “I prefer to remember Lindsey Graham as a man who could disagree with you without becoming unpleasant.”

Trump will lead the funeral

The senator's body will be taken to the Washington National Cathedral, where the funeral is scheduled to begin at 2:00 p.m. local time (6:00 p.m. GMT), in which President Donald Trump will participate, and which will also be attended by the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and the Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky.

In previous statements, Trump highlighted Graham's ability to reach consensus between both parties.

"Lindsey was able to bring people together. If she needed a Democrat, she could usually get one. He was a great politician and a great gentleman," Trump said.

The president also alluded to the senator's support for the country's military interventions and foreign policy: "Lindsey liked war, to be honest. I joke that, although it's not funny at all, he never saw a war he didn't like."

Last goodbye in South Carolina

After the funeral, the coffin will be transferred to South Carolina, the state that Graham represented, where on Wednesday the events will continue with a funeral procession and a new religious service where the public will be able to say goodbye to the senator.

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