Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., a close ally of President Donald Trump, has died at 71 after a brief and sudden illness, his office confirmed early Sunday.

Graham died Saturday night from the illness, and his family has requested privacy during this difficult time. He was chairman of the Senate Budget Committee and was seeking a fifth six-year Senate term in November.

Graham was a key voice within the party on defense and international affairs. Emergency personnel responded to a call for cardiac arrest at Graham’s Capitol Hill home on Saturday night, according to police scanner audio.

Photographs show paramedics carrying a person on a stretcher from Graham’s home to an awaiting ambulance. Graham had recently returned from a trip to Kyiv, Ukraine, where he met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday.

Original reporting: NBC Connecticut (Hartford) — read the source article.