Donald Trump is scheduled to meet Darline Graham, the newly appointed senator from South Carolina, at the White House later today. The meeting comes just five days after the sudden death of her brother, the late Republican Senator Lindsey Graham.
Appointment and Background
Darline Graham was appointed on Tuesday by South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster to fill the remainder of her brother's current Senate term, which ends on January 3. Lindsey Graham died on Saturday night at the age of 71 after what his office described as a brief and sudden illness. The chief medical examiner preliminarily ruled on Sunday that the cause of death was aortic dissection due to cardiovascular disease.
With Trump's backing, Darline's appointment was swift. At a press conference on Monday, she expressed that it was an honor to replace her older brother, who became her legal guardian after their parents died when she was a girl. She stated, "I promise to work hard over the next several months to support the president and carry forward the efforts of my brother on behalf of the citizens of South Carolina and the United States. I think this is what Lindsey would have wanted, and I plan to honor him in this way."
Political Implications
At the time of his death, Lindsey Graham was seeking a fifth Senate term, having won the Republican nomination only last month. The state GOP will hold a separate special election on August 11 to choose a new Senate nominee, who will face Democrat Annie Andrews in the November midterms.
Trump's meeting with Darline Graham is scheduled for 9:30 am local time in the Oval Office. Later that morning, at 11 am, Trump is also set to meet with El Salvador President Nayib Bukele.
Other Developments
In other political news, 103 House Democrats voted to cut military aid to Israel as accusations of genocide in Gaza gain traction within the party. Meanwhile, two of Trump's nominees—Todd Blanche for acting attorney general and Jay Clayton for national intelligence director—faced tough confirmation hearings. Blanche initially described himself as Trump's lawyer before correcting himself, while Clayton refused to say who won the 2020 election when asked by Senator Jon Ossoff.
Representatives Thomas Massie and Ro Khanna, authors of the Epstein Files Transparency Act, introduced a sequel that would allow state officials, victims, and members of Congress to sue the attorney general over withheld records related to Jeffrey Epstein. In an interview with podcaster Joe Rogan, JD Vance dismissed a conspiracy theory that Trump's association with Epstein was used by Israel to blackmail the president into attacking Iran.
Additionally, the Treasury Department announced that the US Mint has begun producing a new commemorative $1 coin featuring Donald Trump as part of the nation's 250th anniversary celebration.
