President Donald Trump said on Monday that he believes the late Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) would be best honored if his sister, Darline Graham Nordone, were to be appointed to serve out the remainder of his term in the U.S. Senate.
Graham died late Saturday night after what his office called a “brief and sudden illness” — and what the Washington, D.C., Medical Examiner’s Office later said was an aortic dissection. Governor Henry McMaster (R-SC) is now charged with appointing someone to replace him for the rest of his current term, which ends in January 2027. An announcement is expected on Monday afternoon at 4 p.m. ET.
“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 posted Monday on his Truth Social platform. “This would be a fabulous tribute to Lindsey, who loved her dearly!”
President Trump is not alone in his thinking, either. Graham’s fellow South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, also a Republican, voiced his support for Darline serving out her brother’s remaining days in the Senate.
“Lindsey Graham’s sister, Darline Graham Nordone, would be a fantastic pick to serve out the remainder of the senate term. After speaking with Darline, there is no one better who understands Lindsey’s love for family, our state, and our country,” he posted on Monday.
And even Graham himself suggested in a decade-old interview that Darline would be a great choice to serve in such a role.
From 2015 interview with C-SPAN, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) on his sister Darline Graham Nordone: “If she took a role on she would be a great representative of our country. I can’t think of a better person to represent our country in an event than my sister.” pic.twitter.com/SjkwIV2TAH
— CSPAN (@cspan) July 13, 2026
“If she took a role on she would be a great representative of our country. I can’t think of a better person to represent our country in an event than my sister,” he said.
Graham and his sister have always been close. After losing both parents to illness when he was just 22 years old, Graham took over the role of raising Darline — who was just 13 years old at the time — and making sure that she got through school as well. After he graduated from law school, he legally adopted Darline so that she could receive benefits and insurance while he was serving in the United States Air Force.
In an old campaign ad for the senator, Darline described her childhood and said that even before her parents passed away, “Lindsey was always the one that took care of me.”
“Darline” —
One of several TV spots over the years that featured Lindsey Graham’s sister
Produced by Graham’s longtime media consultant Scotty Howell pic.twitter.com/o1SFKcE7bd
— Medium Buying (@MediumBuying) July 13, 2026
She recalled him helping her finish homework, teaching her to ride her first bicycle, and even caring for her when she was sick.
“It was hard when we lost my mom and my dad, but Lindsey assured me that he was going to take care of me and he was going to be there for me,” she said. “And he did. He never let me down … He made sure I went to college. To take on that responsibility of raising a little sister, that came from within for Lindsey — and he did a good job.”
Throughout his political career — from his first days in Congress to his 2016 presidential run — Darline was by his side.
“Actually, I’m just kind of like devastated right now,” Darline told The New York Post in a brief phone call on Monday.
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