Sen. Darline Graham Nordone, R-S.C., is reportedly opening up about her emotional meeting with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office following the death of her brother, the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, revealing the president offered heartfelt condolences and encouraged her to continue her brother’s work in the U.S. Senate.
Appearing this week on Fox News host Sean Hannity’s Hang Out with Sean Hannity podcast, Graham Nordone discussed stepping into her brother’s Senate seat after his death at the age of 71 and shared details of her conversation with Trump just days after the loss.
“The president was very sincere in his condolences about Lindsey,” Graham Nordone told Hannity.
She said she visited the White House shortly after her brother’s death, where Trump spoke warmly about the longtime senator and reflected on their friendship.
According to Graham Nordone, the president described Lindsey Graham as more than just a political ally.
“He talked about him and what a good friend he was, how he considered him family,” she said.
The meeting also included an unexpected conversation about her own political future.
Graham Nordone said she was surprised when Trump encouraged her to run in the upcoming special election to keep the Senate seat and pledged his backing.
She revealed the president promised her his “complete and total endorsement,” support she has since officially received.
Following her appointment by South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster, R-S.C., to complete her brother’s Senate term, Graham Nordone announced during her appearance with Hannity that she intends to seek the seat permanently by running in the special election.
She acknowledged the responsibility of following in her brother’s footsteps while expressing confidence in her decision.
“I feel like I can do it. I feel an inner peace about it. Will it be difficult? Yes, absolutely,” she said.
During the interview, Graham Nordone also discussed one of the policy issues she raised during her Oval Office meeting with Trump.
She told Hannity she emphasized the importance of advancing sanctions on Russia, describing the issue as one that mattered deeply to her late brother.
“I went on to mention that there were some things that I felt like were very important to Lindsey — Russia sanctions — and that I really wanted to push those across the finish line,” she said.
The conversation highlighted what Graham Nordone said was her desire to continue pursuing priorities that were important to her brother during his time in the Senate.
Reflecting on her visit to the White House, she described the meeting with Trump as a meaningful experience and said she made a personal commitment to the president.
Graham Nordone called the meeting an “honor” and recalled telling Trump that hard work and loyalty would define her approach in the Senate.
“I told him two things. I said, ‘I can tell you this about me: I will work hard, and I’m loyal,’” she said.
Now serving in the Senate after Gov. McMaster appointed her to complete Lindsey Graham’s term, Graham Nordone is preparing for a campaign to remain in the chamber full time. As she begins that effort, she says her conversation with Trump, his condolences following her brother’s death, and his encouragement to seek the office have helped shape the next chapter of her public service.
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