Statement by Dr. Rajiv J. Shah, President of The Rockefeller Foundation, on U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham

Like many, I was shocked to hear of the sudden passing of U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina. Senator Graham and I worked together often during my time at USAID more than a decade ago, and I quickly came to admire his unwavering commitment to American leadership on the world stage and his willingness to work with anyone to advance both our interests and our values.

In our time working together, I saw that he believed it was not only right but smart for the United States to help the world’s most vulnerable people. Together with many others, we took steps that meaningfully advanced important initiatives on food security, global health, and aid to the people of Afghanistan.

Beyond Washington and policy, I enjoyed the chance to travel with Senator Graham to his home state and speak with Americans of all political stripes. I joined him as he engaged vibrantly with his constituents, learning from their perspective and pushing them to think bigger about the world that affects them. Those conversations, which reflected his willingness to engage other views and agree even when it was inconvenient, are too rare today.

On behalf of my family and everyone at The Rockefeller Foundation, I extend my deepest condolences to Senator Graham’s friends, family, constituents, and colleagues.