Funeral services of Lindsey Graham to include Trump tribute

The family of the late Lindsey Graham planned three separate funeral services honoring him next week, two in Washington and one in his home state of South Carolina. The 71-year-old statesman died suddenly about two weeks ago from a fatal artery tear caused by coronary disease.

The memorials will kick off on Tuesday morning, July 28, with Graham’s remains arriving at the U.S. Capitol building. An Armed Forces team will carry the coffin to honor Graham’s decades of service in the Air Force, according to Graham’s family. Air Force officials will hand off Graham’s coffin to the Capitol’s memorial guard upon reaching the rotunda before a brief livestreamed service honoring Graham’s 31 years in the Senate.

Graham’s body will then travel to Washington National Cathedral for a 2 p.m. EST service, where President Donald Trump will deliver a tribute. The invitation-only Cathedral service will also be livestreamed, and additional speakers will be announced, according to Graham’s family. After the second Washington, D.C., service, Graham’s body will travel nearly 500 miles and arrive in South Carolina by Tuesday night.

South Carolina funeral proceedings will kick off Wednesday morning, July 29, with a 10:45 a.m. EST public procession of Graham’s body to the South Carolina State House by a ceremonial horse-mounted unit of state guardsmen. Law enforcement officials from across the state will meet the detachment at the State House steps around 11 a.m. EST. The assembly will observe a brief pause, followed by an F-16 flyover from the National Guard’s 169th Fighter Wing.

Graham’s remains will be moved a few more blocks to the First Baptist Church of Columbia for a public ceremony with first-come, first-served seating. Following the service, Graham’s family planned a private burial in Pickens County, about 100 miles northeast of the state’s capital city.

Dig deeper: Read Leigh Jones’ report in WORLD Magazine exploring Graham’s legacy in politics.