Stay up to date with notifications from The IndependentNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.Jump to contentThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged inAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleThe sudden death of US Senator Lindsey Graham on Saturday night sparked a wave of online conspiracy theories. These baseless claims falsely alleged assassination by foreign governments such as Russia, Iran, Ukraine, or Israel, or suggested suspicious circumstances. Preliminary medical findings, however, indicate Senator Graham died from an aortic dissection, a natural medical emergency linked to hardening of his arteries. Conspiracy theories gained traction due to Graham's prominent role as a foreign policy hawk and adviser to a US president on international relations. Experts note that the deaths of high-profile, polarising figures often lead to misinformation, with dramatic explanations sometimes preferred over medical realities. In fullWild Lindsey Graham death theories explode online after his sudden passingMore bulletinsThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in

Graham's death sparks questions on cardiac arrest that is caused by an electrical malfunction in the heart that disrupts its pumping action. The heart then stops beating.

U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham died Saturday after a brief and unexpected illness, his office said in statement posted on social media.