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Darline Graham reveals what Trump told her inside Oval Office after brother Lindsey's death
By Taylor Penley
Published July 23, 2026
Sen. Darline Graham, R-S.C., revealed what President Donald Trump told her inside the Oval Office just days after the sudden death of her brother, the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, saying the president offered both condolences and encouragement as she stepped into his Senate seat.
"The president was very sincere in his condolences about Lindsey," Graham told Fox News' Sean Hannity on the "Hangout with Sean Hannity" podcast.
"He talked about him and what a good friend he was, how he considered him family."
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Sen. Darline Graham Nordone, R-S.C., participates in a ceremonial swearing-in in the Old Senate Chamber at the U.S. Capitol on July 14, 2026, in Washington, D.C. (Finn Gomez/Getty Images)
Graham, who was appointed by South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster to temporarily fill her brother's seat following his death, said she used the Oval Office meeting to discuss one of the issues she believes was most important to Lindsey: advancing sanctions on Russia.
"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.
Graham was also caught off guard when Trump later publicly urged her to run in the upcoming special election, promising his "complete and total endorsement" if she entered the race.
Late Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., then-chair of the Senate Budget Committee, during a confirmation hearing in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, June 16. (Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Nevertheless, she remains determined to keep her brother's legacy alive and has announced plans to run for a full Senate term.
"I feel like I can do this, and the meeting with the president, it was such an honor," she said.
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"I told him two things. I said, 'I can tell you this about me: I will work hard, and I'm loyal.'"
Fox News Digital's Nora Moriarty contributed to this report.
https://www.foxnews.com/media/darline-graham-reveals-trump-told-oval-office-after-brother-lindsey-death