Washington, July 13 -- In a major development that has sent shockwaves through Washington's political landscape, US Senator Lindsey Graham, a towering Republican figure who shaped American foreign policy for decades and served as a crucial strategist to President Donald Trump, passed away on Saturday evening following a sudden medical crisis at the age of 71.

Confirming the tragic demise, the office of the Washington, DC, Chief Medical Examiner stated on Sunday that the veteran lawmaker died of an aortic dissection brought on by arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease, according to a report by the American news outlet The Hill.

As detailed by the same publication, the office of Washington, DC's Chief Medical Examiner, Dr Francisco Diaz,...