Lindsey Graham, US Republican senator and Trump ally, dies at 71 from heart ailment

By Steve Holland, Akanksha Khushi, Thomas Derpinghaus and Tim Reid

WASHINGTON, July 12 (Reuters) - Republican U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham, a one-time vocal critic of Donald Trump who went on to become one of the president's staunchest allies, died late on Saturday from a heart ailment caused by hardening of the arteries, his office said on Sunday.

He was 71.

In an interview with Reuters, Trump said he spoke to Graham "minutes" before the South Carolina Republican was taken ill and ruled out any foul play.