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title: Charles Krauthammer, Political Commentator, Dies at 68
description: The Fox News, Washington Post and TIME contributor wrote in early June that he had terminal cancer.
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![](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt90052fe974bbad69/698932ac8fd2ee6b0035bda5/charles-krauthammer.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9)


# Charles Krauthammer, Conservative Political Commentator, Dies at 68

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by 

[Abigail Abrams](https://time.com/author/abigail-abrams/)


## Abigail Abrams


Jun 21, 2018 11:04 PM UTC

![Charles Krauthammer](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt90052fe974bbad69/698932ac8fd2ee6b0035bda5/charles-krauthammer.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=3:2)

Columnist Charles Krauthammer revealed he has terminal cancer and only weeks left to live

Columnist Charles Krauthammer revealed he has terminal cancer and only weeks left to live Courtesy Fox News

by 

[Abigail Abrams](https://time.com/author/abigail-abrams/)


## Abigail Abrams


Jun 21, 2018 11:04 PM UTC

Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Charles Krauthammer died June 21 at 68, the [Washington _Post_](https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/charles-krauthammer-pulitzer-prize-winning-columnist-and-intellectual-provocateur-dies-at-68/2018/06/21/b71ee41a-759e-11e8-b4b7-308400242c2e%5Fstory.html?utm%5Fterm=.edb5e37ac6bc) confirmed.

Krauthammer died from cancer of the small intestine, according to the paper. His death came just weeks after he wrote a [column in _The Post_](http://time.com/5306561/charles-krauthammer-terminal-cancern/) on June 8 saying that he had terminal cancer and likely only had a few weeks left to live. Krauthammer had been largely absent from public for several months before writing his farewell column.

“I believe that the pursuit of truth and right ideas through honest debate and rigorous argument is a noble undertaking. I am grateful to have played a small role in the conversations that have helped guide this extraordinary nation’s destiny,” he wrote in the _Post_.

> [](https://twitter.com/FoxNews/status/1009923057618751493)

Krauthammer initially trained to be a psychiatrist and graduated from Harvard Medical School before joining the administration of President Jimmy Carter. He won a Pulitzer Prize in 1987 for his commentary in the _Post_.

The commentator, who regularly contributed to TIME in the 1990s and 2000s, frequently appeared on Fox News in recent years. Fox News CEO Suzanne Scott issued this statement following Krauthammer’s passing:

---

> “”

---


Krauthammer was a champion of hawkish foreign policy and was known for supporting the war in Afghanistan as well as the invasion of Iraq under President George W. Bush.

However, he was not afraid to oppose President Donald Trump, [refusing to vote for him](https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/my-vote-explained/2016/10/20/b61442a4-96f2-11e6-bc79-af1cd3d2984b%5Fstory.html?utm%5Fterm=.b188de38976c) and then calling him a “moral disgrace” for his reaction to the white nationalist rally in Charlottesville.

He wrote in the _Post_ column that he left his life with no regrets.

“I leave this life with no regrets. It was a wonderful life — full and complete with the great loves and great endeavors that make it worth living,” Krauthammer wrote. “I am sad to leave, but I leave with the knowledge that I lived the life that I intended.”

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