What Happened to William Franklin Graham III?

William Franklin Graham III, born July 14, 1952, is the fourth of five children of the renowned evangelist Billy Graham. After a period of rebellion in his youth, Franklin Graham committed his life to Jesus Christ at age 22 in 1974. He began his ministry career in 1975, accompanying Bob Pierce, the founder of Samaritan's Purse, on a mission trip. Following Pierce's death in 1979, Graham was elected president of Samaritan's Purse, an international evangelical Christian humanitarian aid organization. He was ordained in 1982 and held his first evangelistic event in 1989.

Graham assumed leadership of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) in 2000 as CEO and became president in 2001, succeeding his father. Under his leadership, both organizations have expanded their global reach, with Samaritan's Purse responding to numerous international disasters and conflicts, and the BGEA continuing large-scale evangelistic crusades, now often called 'Festivals.' He has preached at hundreds of outreaches in over 55 countries and all 50 U.S. states.

Franklin Graham has become a prominent and often controversial figure due to his outspoken conservative political and social views. He has been criticized for comments perceived as anti-Muslim, describing Islam as a 'very evil and wicked religion' after 9/11, and for his strong stance against same-sex marriage, which he calls a sin. His vocal support for Republican politicians, particularly former President Donald Trump, has also drawn significant attention and criticism, with some arguing it deviates from his father's more apolitical approach to ministry.

A key turning point in recent years involved his planned 2020 UK tour, which faced widespread cancellations by venues due to opposition to his views on homosexuality and Islam. Graham and the BGEA pursued legal action, successfully overturning the venue cancellations, which he described as a victory for religious freedom. He has since returned to the UK for subsequent tours.

As of 2026, Franklin Graham remains highly active. In January 2026, he led the 'Love Siem Reap Festival' in Cambodia and the 'Esperanza Ushuaia' (Hope Ushuaia) evangelistic event in Argentina in February 2026, drawing thousands. Samaritan's Purse continues its extensive disaster relief and humanitarian work, including providing medical care in Venezuela and aid in Ukraine and the Middle East. In March 2026, he was a confirmed speaker at CPAC USA in Grapevine, Texas, and in early April 2026, he participated in a White House Easter lunch, where he delivered a prayer and discussed a letter he had written to Donald Trump about salvation. He is also scheduled to bring the 'God Loves You Tour' to Manchester, UK, in October 2026.