President Donald Trump is urging South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster to appoint the late Sen. Lindsey Graham’s sister, Darline Graham, as the state’s interim United States senator, calling it a fitting tribute to the longtime Republican lawmaker.
In a Truth Social post, Trump said he had personally recommended the appointment following Graham’s death over the weekend.
“I recommended, to Governor Henry McMaster, Lindsey Graham’s wonderful sister, Darline, to serve as interim Senator from the Great State of South Carolina,” Trump wrote. “This would be a fabulous tribute to Lindsey, who loved her dearly!”
The president’s endorsement comes as South Carolina prepares to fill the Senate seat left vacant by Graham’s passing.
Graham Dies at 71
Graham’s office announced Sunday that the South Carolina Republican died Saturday evening at the age of 71.
“On the evening of Saturday, July 11, U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham passed away from a brief and sudden illness,” the statement said. “Senator Graham’s family appreciates prayers at this time and asks for privacy during this incredibly difficult period.”
A spokesperson for Graham later shared preliminary findings from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for the District of Columbia, which determined that the senator’s cause of death was an aortic dissection due to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease, according to CBS News.
Tributes Pour In
Since news of Graham’s death broke, tributes have poured in from across the Trump administration and the Republican Party.
Among those honoring the late senator were FBI Director Kash Patel, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, all of whom praised Graham’s decades of public service and contributions to American foreign and national security policy.
Trump also remembered Graham as a close political ally, despite the two men’s occasionally turbulent relationship over the years.
After initially clashing during the 2016 Republican presidential primary, the pair developed a close partnership during Trump’s first administration, with Graham becoming one of the president’s most reliable allies in the Senate.
Appointment Process Ahead
Under South Carolina law, the governor is responsible for appointing an interim senator to serve until a special election or the next regularly scheduled election, depending on the timing and applicable state election laws.
Gov. McMaster has not publicly indicated whom he intends to appoint, and it remains unclear whether Darline Graham is interested in serving or would be considered for the position.
If selected, Darline Graham would succeed her brother in the seat he held for more than two decades.
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