Darline Graham, the newly appointed senator seeking to keep her late brother’s South Carolina seat, faced boos during a Republican debate after she admitted she knows little about national security.
The 62-year-old Republican struggled to explain whether Taiwan and the South China Sea pose U.S. national security concerns. She eventually told the audience she was “not that informed on national security.”
The response drew an immediate reaction from the crowd and invited criticism from Republicans and Democrats alike.
The moment came during Tuesday’s Republican runoff debate in Newberry, South Carolina, where moderator Greta Van Susteren asked Graham whether Taiwan and the South China Sea represented national security issues for the United States.
Graham first asked Van Susteren to repeat the question before acknowledging her lack of knowledge on the subject.
“I’m just going to be honest here…I’m not that informed on national security,” Graham said.
The admission drew boos from the audience. Graham paused before attempting to redirect the answer toward her support for the military, pointing to the military backgrounds of her late brother and their father.
“But I do support the military,” she said. Graham later added, “I’m not a polished politician up here. National security is not my thing, not my area of expertise, but I support the military.”
View on Threads
Her answer was particularly striking because she is attempting to succeed her brother, former Sen. Lindsey Graham, whose Senate career was closely associated with foreign policy and national security.
Lindsey Graham, who died suddenly last month at 71, built a reputation as one of the Senate’s more aggressive advocates for U.S. military involvement overseas. As reported by PBS, He strongly supported Ukraine in its war with Russia and pushed for military action against Iran. He also argued that the United States had a direct security interest in protecting Taiwan’s democracy and led a congressional delegation to the island in 2022.
Darline Graham has sought to distinguish herself from her brother by emphasizing domestic issues rather than trying to replicate his foreign-policy record. But her debate answer quickly became a liability as critics argued that a Senate candidate should be prepared to address major international security questions.
Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, a Republican, criticized Graham’s response on X.
“Lindsey Graham was well informed on the United States’ national security. Darline Graham admits she’s not. This is not something you inherit. And it’s critical in the U.S. Senate,” Haley wrote.
Adam Morgan, a former South Carolina state lawmaker, also took aim at Graham, calling the exchange a “stunning debate flop” and arguing that her response “reveals she can’t answer basic national security questions.”
The contrast became even more apparent when Van Susteren posed the Taiwan question to Graham’s Republican runoff opponent, Rep. Ralph Norman.
“Taiwan’s a definite ally,” Norman answered. He said the United States was helping Taiwan prepare to defend itself against China and argued that the administration’s military posture toward Iran demonstrated American strength to China, Russia and other potential adversaries.
Norman also brought President Donald Trump into the debate, questioning how long the administration’s conflict with Iran could continue.
“He’s going to have to tell the American people what it’s going to take if the Straits of Hormuz are still dominated by a country that’s supposed to be decimated,” Norman said.
Graham has already endured another awkward moment on the campaign trail. During the debate, she reportedly claimed that South Carolina has “50 million people,” despite the state’s population being roughly 5.5 million.
The latest stumble quickly became fodder for social media users, many of whom mocked Graham’s admission that national security was outside her expertise.
“Career-ending moment in normal times,” one person wrote. Another joked, “I was waiting for her to ask if she could PHONE A FRIEND.”
A third commenter mocked Graham’s explanation that she supports the military despite lacking expertise in national security, writing, “‘National security is not my thing…but I do support the military.’ Does she realize she’s running for the U.S. Senate and NOT for Miss South Carolina?”
Another user called the exchange “comical” but added, “This would be comical if it wasn’t so irresponsible.”
Graham entered the race under unusual circumstances. Following her brother’s death, Gov. Henry McMaster appointed her to serve the remainder of his term. According to the Senate Historical Office, she became the first sibling in American history appointed to replace a senator who died while in office or resigned.
Trump subsequently endorsed Graham, urging her to seek the full term and saying there would be “nobody better to honor the legacy of her beloved brother, Lindsey.” He later gave her his “complete and total endorsement.”
Despite Trump’s backing, Graham did not secure enough votes to avoid a runoff. She received 32.7 percent of the vote, while Norman finished with 24.6 percent, according to the Associated Press, with 99 percent of votes counted.
Graham is South Carolina’s first female senator and had a close relationship with her brother. After their parents died, Lindsey Graham took legal guardianship over Darline when she was 13.
