Sen. Darline Graham Admits Lack of National Security Knowledge Amid Debate with Rep. Ralph
-
Sen. Darline Graham (R-SC) admitted she was “not that informed on national security” during a debate against Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC) on Tuesday, one week before the two face off in a Republican runoff for the Senate seat previously held by her late brother, Lindsey Graham.
Compare 9 other versions
ABC NewsBut during a debate on Tuesday night, while facing off against next Tuesday's runoff opponent Rep. Ralph Norman, Darline Graham was asked if she feels Taiwan and the South China Sea are national security issues for the United States.
The Guardian USAsked whether Taiwan and the South China Sea threaten US national security, republican fill-in senator Darline Graham hesitated. “I’m just going to be honest here,” she told Tuesday night’s debate audience. “I’m – not that informed on national security, so – but I do support the military.”
The HillDarline Graham on debate question stumble: ‘I’m not a politician’ Sen. Darline Graham (R-S.C.) on Wednesday defended her stumble earlier this week on a national security question during a primary runoff debate, saying she was simply being “honest” about her lack of political experience. “I tripped up on one question last night regarding Taiwan,” Graham said in an interview with Fox News Wednesday. “I have…
PBS NewsHourSen. Darline Graham avoids giving direct answer to national security question in S.C. debate: 'Not my thing' It was a high-profile misstep a week before she faces a runoff election in her bid to hold onto the South Carolina seat to which she was appointed last month.
USA TodaySouth Carolina Republican Sen. Darline Graham said that "national security is not my thing" during a Republican debate.
BreitbartOn Wednesday’s broadcast of the Fox News Channel’s “Hannity,” Sen. Darline Graham (R-SC) said, “I’m not a politician, certainly not a career politician. I don’t speak politician. I was just honest,” when she said she wasn’t that informed on national security. She also stated that she “did say, several times, that China is our enemy, a military and economic threat to the United States. Of course, Taiwan is our friend.” And that she knows security issues are important, but she doesn’t think many people can find Taiwan on a map. She also said voters are “concerned about a lot of other things other than Taiwan.”
Washington ExaminerSen. Darline Graham Nordone (R-SC) is trying to turn down the temperature after being ridiculed for saying she is “not that informed” on national security during a debate, reminding voters that she is not a career politician.
HuffPostSen. Darline Graham (R-S.C.), sister of late Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and President Donald Trump’s hand-picked choice for his seat, is facing heavy criticism after struggling with a key question during Tuesday night’s debate.
RealClearPoliticsThroughout her brief career as a senator and as a candidate to remain one, Darline Graham has gone to some lengths to distance herself from the legacy of her late brother while snuggling up to Donald Trump as closely as possible. That reflects a political shrewdness that Lindsey Graham himself might have ruefully endorsed. Read Full Article ⟶
-
Graham started her answer by saying, “I’m just going to be honest here." “I’m not that informed on national security," she said, then paused. "But I do support the military."
Compare 4 other versions
HuffPost“I’m just going to be honest here. I’m not that informed on national security,” Graham replied. “But I do support the military. My brother was in the Air Force for 33 years, so I will do everything I can to support the military.”
The Guardian US“I’m not a polished politician up here,” she added. “National security is not my thing, not my area of expertise, but I do support the military.”
The Daily Wire“I’m just going to be honest here, I’m not that informed on national security,” she said.
Washington Examiner“Is national security important? Absolutely,” she said. “Can I learn? I’m smart. Yes, I’ll learn. I’ll become informed.”
-
Trump is planning to come to South Carolina on Friday to stage a rally for Graham in Myrtle Beach, the home of U.S. Rep. Russell Fry, who finished third in last week’s special primary election to choose a GOP nominee to replace Lindsey Graham on the November ballot.
Compare 2 other versions
The Daily WireSouth Carolina has roughly 5.5 million residents. President Donald Trump is expected to campaign for Graham on Friday at a rally in Myrtle Beach ahead of the runoff.
Washington ExaminerGraham Nordone, however, has political heavyweights ready to stump for her in the Palmetto State. On Thursday, Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso (R-WY) is also traveling to South Carolina. Trump is heading to Myrtle Beach on Friday to participate in a rally with the senator. She also has the endorsements from a slate of Senate Republicans.
-
Graham was endorsed by President Donald Trump. She and Norman advanced to the runoff in last week's primary.
Compare 3 other versions
The Guardian USGraham, endorsed by Donald Trump and leaning on her outsider credentials, recovered later in the evening, describing her family’s reliance on social security survivor benefits after her parents died, and accusing Norman of being unable to decide whether he wants to work in South Carolina or Washington, citing his gubernatorial loss just this year.
HuffPostGraham rose to prominence last month when her brother, Sen. Lindsey Graham, suddenly died. South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster (R) then appointed Graham to finish her late brother’s term, and now she is vying to run for a full term in November. She also has the backing of President Donald Trump.
The Daily WireGraham has previously outlined the differences between herself and her brother on foreign policy, saying in a July interview that she preferred to focus on issues that matter to “the average person.”
-
Norman, who backed his state’s former governor Nikki Haley over Trump in 2024, used the debate to distance himself from the president over the war with Iran, saying Trump “is going to have to tell the American people what it’s going to take” if the strait of Hormuz remains under the control of a country the administration has claimed to have decimated.
Compare 1 other version
HuffPostAt one point, Norman, who incurred Trump’s wrath by endorsing former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley for president in 2024 rather than Trump, came close to criticizing the president by suggesting he needed to explain what was actually happening with his Iran war.
-
“Lindsey was one of the greatest people and Senators I have ever known, and his sister shares his deep love of our Country, and the State of South Carolina,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Compare 1 other version
The Daily Wire“She’s really a very smart woman,” Trump added. “You know, Lindsey loved his sister more than anything else he would tell me about his sister. That she’s just outstanding. He actually said she is better than him. That was hard for Lindsey to say.”
9 details only one outlet reported
Independent claims that didn't surface elsewhere in our corpus. Treat as supplementary — not corroborated across outlets.
-
01 Washington Examiner On other points of national security and foreign policy, Graham Nordone said she would support President Donald Trump’s decisions.
-
02 ABC News Norman's answer on Taiwan, for his part, praised Trump's position as showing "peace through strength" that he said deters antagonistic nations.
-
03 NBC News Now Playing How Sen. Darline Graham’s debate blunder could give undecided voters ‘some pause’ 06:21 UP NEXT ‘Fed up with a war they didn't want’: Midwestern voters air frustrations impacting the midterms 05:33 Democratic candidate for FL governor says Trump is ‘promoting socialism’ as president 10:25 Diversity ‘strengthens us’: Democrat challenging Debbie Wasserman Schultz after GOP redistricting 08:26 Kornacki previews key Florida primaries after ‘dramatic’ redistricting 10:53 ‘Resign.
-
04 Breitbart Host Sean Hannity asked, “[S]o, this issue of Taiwan came up last night, and I know people have made a big deal about it. And I’m like, I wonder how many people around the country, if I gave them a map, could pick out Taiwan. I don’t think many, and not just in — I mean the whole country, never mind South Carolina.”
-
05 The Guardian US In South Carolina, early voting begins on Wednesday, ahead of the 25 August primary.
-
06 HuffPost Polished or not, a candidate for the U.S. Senate running in the middle of a war admitting that “national security is not my thing” left critics on social media stunned:
-
07 RealClearPolitics Was Graham's Dumb Debate Answer Just an Act?
-
08 The Daily Wire “Whether it’s spy balloons flying overhead or buying up land near South Carolina military bases, China continues to prove that it is a threat to the United States. South Carolinians deserve to know whether their next Senator has the know-how to lead on this issue.”
-
09 Politico ‘Woefully underprepared’: Graham critics seize on her foreign policy misstep President Donald Trump is working hard to propel the political newcomer into office. Her debate performance proved just how green she still is.
Fact Corroboration
Which sources independently confirm the same facts. Hover a claim to see its sources, or a source to see what it corroborates.
Coverage by Perspective
Source Similarity
Connections show how similarly each outlet covered this story. Thicker lines = more similar framing.
Sources (12)
- huffpost
- pbs
- abc
- dailywire
- breitbart
- thehill
- usatoday
- nbc
- guardian
- rcp
- politico
- washexaminer