President Donald Trump has publicly defended Senator Darline Graham, asserting that her recent statement about lacking in-depth knowledge of national security was a matter of honesty. Trump's remarks came as he traveled to South Carolina to campaign for Graham ahead of her Aug. 25 Senate primary runoff election against Rep. Ralph Norman.
"All she was is being honest. She’s very smart, and she was being honest," Trump told reporters at Joint Base Andrews before heading to Myrtle Beach for a rally. He added that Graham's focus has been on domestic economic issues such as food prices. "It hasn’t been her thing, but she’s surrounded by very good people, and she said that she’s totally for the military."
Trump further stated that Graham understands the importance of national security to his agenda. "She understands that national security is my thing, and she is a terrific woman," he said.
Senator Graham was appointed to her late brother Lindsey Graham's Senate seat on July 14, a move that Trump had urged. However, her position is now at risk following a notable performance during a recent debate. When asked about the significance of Taiwan and the South China Sea to U.S. national security, Graham responded, "I’m not that informed on national security — so. National security is not my thing, not my area of expertise, but I do support the military."
In the initial primary round on August 11, Graham secured 32.7% of the vote. Rep. Ralph Norman received 24.6%, and Rep. Russell Fry finished third with 19.7%. The area Trump visited on Friday, in the northeast of the state, had previously shown strong support for Fry, suggesting his supporters could be critical in the upcoming runoff.
