Trump recommends Lindsey Graham's sister serve as interim senator for South Carolina

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Source: CNBC

Trump recommends Lindsey Graham's sister serve as interim senator for South Carolina

Published Mon, Jul 13 202610:50 AM EDT Updated 6 Min Ago
Justin Papp
@in/justin-papp
@justinjpapp1

Key Points
* President Donald Trump recommended Sen. Lindsey Graham's sister, Darline Graham Nordone, to fill the late senator's seat through the remainder of his term.
* According to South Carolina law, Gov. Henry McMaster has the authority to name Graham's successor.
* Graham was running for reelection at the time of his death, and several potential candidates have indicated their interest in seeking a full, six-year term by running in a special primary election on Aug. 11.


Darline Graham Nordone, sister of Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., walks to the stage before his announcement for presidency on Monday, June 1, 2015, in Central, S.C.
Rainier Ehrhardt | AP

President Donald Trump on Monday urged South Carolina’s governor to appoint late Sen. Lindsey Graham’s sister, Darline Graham Nordone, to fill his Senate seat through the rest of the year. ... Graham, 71, died unexpectedly on Saturday, leaving an opening for the seat through the end of his term.

“I recommended, to Governor Henry McMaster, Lindsey Graham’s wonderful sister, Darline, to serve as interim Senator from the Great State of South Carolina. This would be a fabulous tribute to Lindsey, who loved her dearly!” Trump posted on TruthSocial.

According to South Carolina law, Gov. Henry McMaster has the authority to name an interim replacement to finish Graham’s term. ... McMaster has a press conference scheduled Monday afternoon to reflect on Graham’s life and announce the interim appointment.

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Read more: https://www.cnbc.com/2026/07/13/trump-lindsey-graham-darline-south-carolina-senator.html

[ebbie15644]

1. it's the crompromot

he needs to keep the blackmail going

[yardwork]

2. My immediate thought as well.

Trump thinks Graham's sister will do what he tells her to do in order to protect her brother's reputation.

And competence and experience means nothing to this administration. It's pure mob behavior. Only loyalty and fear count.

[Scubamatt]

9. I've often thought that we should

build our strategy based on how to take down mob bosses. That is what Trump is.

[yardwork]

10. Trump controls the IRS so we can't get him on tax evasion.

I'm sure he's violated RICO statutes but he also controls the DOJ.

[Prairie Gates]

6. It really calls on us to imagine just how bad this kompromat is

Obviously, it is not just that he was a closeted gay man. Everybody already knows and knew that and he won elections in South Carolina with that being an open secret. At the end of the day, not even the nutty evangelicals cared about that because he was a pit bull for a conservative court that did their bidding (and because Southern culture actually accepts the occasional "confirmed bachelor" as a matter of course).

No, it has to be something actually bad. Something truly terrible. Something horrific and unforgivable. That's the reason that even the sister would do anything she was told in order to prevent it getting out. It has to be absolutely beyond the pale and absolutely indisputably true.

[SheltieLover]

8. Trumpstein?

[yardwork]

11. I see two possibilities.

1. It really is that Graham was simply a closeted gay man, and the threat of that being revealed was distressing enough to Graham that he was blackmailed. (This sounds almost unbelievable but we weren't inside Graham's thoughts and emotions.)

2. It's something really bad.

[mackdaddy]

13. Lindsey was claimed to have been at fight events described by Sasha Riley, a survivor of SA as a boy.

The stories are extreme, and I have no Idea if they are real, but if any are remotely true they would qualify.

[hamsterjill]

24. I tend to agree that it's got to be more than just a closeted gay man.

There are already claims being made on social media of persons who claim that they were paid to perform certain sexual acts for Graham. They say they are coming forward because there is no longer a valid NDA with his death, or else they don't care as they don't feel they will face consequences since he has died.

I've seen at least two thus far, and who knows if they are valid, etc. I have not shared anything here for that very reason. But I believe there will be more as more jump on the band wagon. Certainly, there will be claims that cannot be verified, but there may be some which can. I don't think anyone is going to be surprised by claims like these surfacing at this point.

But I think this goes well beyond a gay man and either goes into deviant acts with children, or sinister acts pulling strings with the power of his Senate office. Time will tell as things unfold.

But SOMETHING made that man change his tune and fall in line in support of Trump. Whatever it was, it was absolute terror and fear in my opinion.

[Hugin]

3. Tomorrow it'll be someone else.

Anybody, but Haley..

[SCantiGOP]

19. Gov announcement at 4 this afternoon

It won't be Haley or Mace. My guess is the outgoing Lt Gov, Pamela Evette, who came in second in the Gov primary.

[muriel_volestrangler]

4. I suspect Trump will never have spoken to her before this, and yet she's "wonderful"

And unless she's previously shown an appetite for public office, I feel sorry for her, whatever her politics, at being forced into the political limelight about 30 hours after his sudden death became public. By all accounts, she was very close to him, and will be genuinely grieving.

[SpankMe]

5. Inappropriate joke below

I thought Graham was his own sister.

[LaMouffette]

25. When I heard about her replacing Lindsey, my thoughts turned to the climax (no pun intended) of "Tootsie" when Dustin

Hoffman, as Tootsie, reveals live on the soap opera on which he is starring that he is actually the BROTHER of Emily Kimberly. So . . . could it be . . . that Lindsey is not dead . . . but is still here as his sister??? Just kidding, but this is one whacky country right now:

[twodogsbarking]

7. Wiil Lindsey's white hood fit her?

[FakeNoose]

12. Really it's up to the South Carolina voters

Whoever gets picked for Lindsey's replacement, will only fill out the last 6 months of this term. Whether it's his sister or whoever. There will be a new election coming up in November and the SC voters will decide on who will be their Senator for the next 6 years.

[sinkingfeeling]

14. Does she live in South Carolina?

[SCantiGOP]

20. yes, lifelong resident

[tanyev]

15. Is she qualified? Does she want it? Does Donald have dirt on the entire family?

Maybe that’s what was keeping Lindsey in line.

[Bayard]

21. He's relying on the Boohoo Factor

No qualification other than her name is Graham

[Raftergirl]

16. Maybe she is a closeted Democrat.

I doubt Donald could pick her out of a line up.

[underpants]

17. Majority Leader Sen. Thune apparently agrees

https://www.cnn.com/2026/07/13/politics/darline-graham-nordone-south-carolina-trump

[bluestarone]

18. 100% BULLSHIT!!

FUCK YOU asshole!!

[LeftInTX]

22. Weird. Oh well. I read that she's going to be appointed.

[twodogsbarking]

23. She's alive? I thought she was crushed by a house.