Donald Trump has said he would like the sister of Senator Lindsey Graham, who died unexpectedly on Saturday, to temporarily take over his Senate seat. Graham was a close ally of the Republican president and a strong supporter of both Israel and Ukraine.
Trump wrote on Truth Social that he had recommended to Governor Henry McMaster that Graham’s sister, Darline, whom he called highly capable, serve as interim senator for South Carolina, calling it a fitting tribute to a brother she loved deeply.
McMaster is expected to announce at 4 p.m. local time (11 p.m. Greek time) who will hold the seat until January, a decision that will determine who temporarily represents South Carolina in the US Senate. Graham had planned to seek re-election to his seat in November in his home state stronghold; following his death, the Republican Party will need to hold a new primary to select a candidate.
Graham’s office announced his death early Sunday, saying he died late Saturday night from complications of a brief and sudden illness; the cause of death was reported as a ruptured aorta linked to a cardiac condition.
A central figure in American foreign policy, Graham was a strong advocate of US interventionism, having backed American involvement in the second Gulf War and urged both the Biden and Trump administrations to increase support for Kyiv against the Russian invasion.
He also favored military action against Tehran, maintaining a consistently hard line on Iran throughout his career. Trump paid tribute to Graham as one of the finest people and senators he has known, and ordered flags across the United States to fly at half-staff through the following Saturday.
