Graham asked a staffer to call 911 after reporting chest pains, GOP senator says

Graham Asked a Staffer to Call 911 Before Passing

Graham asked a staffer to call 911 – Republican Senator Tommy Tuberville revealed new details about the final hours of Senator Lindsey Graham, confirming that Graham asked a staffer to call 911 after experiencing chest pains. According to Tuberville, Graham’s scheduler was present Saturday evening when the senator made a phone call expressing concern about his health. The scheduler was immediately asked to contact emergency services.

“Lindsey called, called basically, said, ‘Listen, I’m having chest pains. You know, I need to do something,'” Tuberville told reporters on Monday while recounting the experience of those who were there.

Tuberville explained that the scheduler inquired whether Graham had already dialed 911. The senator’s response was clear: “no, that’s the reason I called you.” Within moments, emergency responders arrived at the location. “By the time she got there, 911 had knocked the door down, and they were working on him,” Tuberville noted.

Timeline and Dispatch Details

This senator’s testimony provides fresh insight into events leading up to Graham’s death, seemingly validating certain elements of what has already been reported about an emergency call concerning the incident. Earlier CNN coverage indicated that emergency personnel were sent to a Washington DC location for Graham at approximately 8:30 pm ET, based on a chest pain report. Broadcastify audio confirmed this dispatch.

The audio recording revealed that the person making the call was traveling from Baltimore toward Graham’s residence. At the time, Graham had recently come back from a trip to Ukraine. President Donald Trump also confirmed to CNN that he had spoken with Graham shortly before the senator’s death occurred.

“He said, ‘I’m tired because it’s a long trip,’ but other than that, he was – he was fine,” Trump recalled about their conversation.

The president mentioned that their discussion covered Graham’s voter ID legislation, known as the “SAVE America Act,” as well as the senator’s recent international travels.

Medical Findings and Pending Reports

Taylor Reidy, who serves as communications director for Graham, previously stated that the DC medical examiner’s office determined the senator died from complications related to an aortic dissection caused by arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease. This condition involves a tear in the inner layer of the aorta, which is the primary artery extending through the human body.

While an aortic dissection differs from a heart attack, its symptoms—such as chest or stomach pain, difficulty breathing, and loss of consciousness—can closely mirror those of more familiar conditions. A comprehensive autopsy is still underway.

GOP Senator John Cornyn expressed his desire for Graham’s toxicology results to be made public. “We, you know, I saw the initial diagnosis of a dissected aorta — which is terrible, I mean, obviously, that could cause his death — but given where he was and the sorts of things he was advocating for, I think we just ought to resolve all those questions by seeing what the toxicology reports show,” Cornyn explained to reporters. He emphasized the need to eliminate unfounded theories circulating on social media.

A Life Dedicated to Service

Tuberville added that the scheduler who placed the 911 call on Saturday had previously worked in his office. She was at a restaurant viewing the World Cup with one of Tuberville’s staffers when Graham reached out. Reflecting on his colleague, Tuberville observed, “Lindsey basically worked himself to death.” He noted that while most people have families, Graham did not. “If we had a couple of days off, he went to that airport. He went somewhere to try to work out something for our country.”

CNN’s Morgan Rimmer and Ted Barrett contributed to this report.