Politics

(WASHINGTON) — Jay Clayton, President Donald Trump’s pick to serve as director of national intelligence, faced repeated questions from Democrats on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence during his confirmation hearing on Wednesday about whether Joe Biden won the 2020 election — with Clayton saying Biden was certified as president, but stopped short of saying he won legitimately.

Sen. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the committee, asked whether Clayton denied that Biden won the 2020 election.

“I’m not an election denier,” Clayton said. “Joe Biden was certified as the president of the United States.

Independent Sen. Angus King later asked Clayton pointedly: “Who won the 2020 election?”

Clayton danced around the answer multiple times — refusing to say outright that Biden won, while reiterating that he believes Biden was certified.

“He went through our processes, and Joe Biden became the president of the United States,” Clayton said.

King responded that “saying Joe Biden was certified is not an answer.”

Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff later said Clayton wasn’t being “honest or forthright” in his responses about Biden’s 2020 election victory.

“You refuse to answer a basic question about who won a presidential election. But you ask to lead America’s intelligence community,” Ossoff said. “Isn’t it humiliating to be unable to answer this question? To have to indulge the president’s delusions? We know, you know, everybody in this room knows the truthful answer to the question. Why can you not give it?”

Both Republicans and Democrats asked Clayton if he were involved in any way with Trump’s primetime address on Thursday that the president said will be a “very big announcement” that will touch on “free and fair elections.” The announcement is based on information he recently received from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence related to the 2020 election, sources familiar with the matter tell ABC News.

Clayton said he is “not involved in that,” affirming that doing so would violate that understanding that he would take no actions that would presume his confirmation as DNI.

Clayton did say that he thought there was room to improve elections and that he would like to work with the committee to do that.

Questions about subpoenas to journalists

Clayton also faced questions about the subpoenas he issued to several journalists at the New York Times last week after the news outlet reported on security concerns involving Trump’s new Qatari-donated Air Force One.

Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden questioned Clayton about the subpoenas he issued — as U.S. attorney in Manhattan — to the journalists, asking when he was directed to issue the subpoenas and who asked him to do so.

Clayton responded that the subpoenas are in connection with an “ongoing national security investigation” and reiterated that he respects the First Amendment and the role of the press. But he did not directly answer Wyden’s question.

“Those subpoenas are in connection with an ongoing national security investigation. I’m happy to talk to you and this committee about our approach to the First Amendment and our efforts in all cases to limit to the greatest extent possible, any intrusion into the operation of the free press,” Clayton said.

Clayton later added that he consulted with career prosecutors in his office before making the decision to issue the subpoeanas. He added that he is confident that the procedures in place to protect the First Amendment and journalists were followed.

Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand said the committee was “deeply concerned” with how the process played out, that it “doesn’t sound like the proper independent legal process that we would normally expect for issuance of a subpoena.”

Clayton said that while he understood her concerns, “I want to tell you, I am comfortable with where we are, and I’m comfortable with how we are proceeding from here.”

In a statement on Saturday, a Justice Department spokeswoman said that “reporters are not the targets, those leaking classified information are.”

Clayton, prior to his role as the U.S. attorney, was also the former chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Apart from the national security cases he oversaw while serving as U.S. attorney, Clayton also lacks experience in intelligence-gathering and national security matters.

Clayton spent the bulk of his career as a corporate attorney, and prior to his appointment as U.S. attorney last year, lacked meaningful experience in criminal matters.

Clayton will replace the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency and Trump loyalist Bill Pulte as acting director of national intelligence. Clayton’s hearing came weeks after the president abruptly canceled his previously scheduled confirmation hearing.

Asked about why his hearing was postponed, Clayton said he was “not going to get into private conversations.”

Pulte has been serving as the acting director since June 19. The former DNI, Tulsi Gabbard, announced her intention to resign from the role in May, citing a desire to step away from public service to support her husband following his cancer diagnosis. Gabbard ultimately left the role on June 18, days earlier than planned.

The committee is expected to vote on Clayton’s nomination to be the next DNI some time next week.

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(WASHINGTON) — Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche is appearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee Wednesday as he seeks confirmation to secure his role on a permanent basis.

Blanche is facing questions over a series of controversies from his time with the Justice Department, including the handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files and what he says is the now-defunct “Anti-Weaponization Fund” part of a settlement after President Donald Trump sued the Internal Revenue Service for $10 billion.

Formerly Trump’s defense attorney, Blanche faced a relatively smooth glide path to confirmation with unanimous Republican support last year when he was nominated to serve as the department’s No. 2 official.

Since Trump’s ouster of Pam Bondi as attorney general in April, Blanche has served in the position in an acting role and Trump formally nominated him in June.

“We are here today with the awesome responsibility of choosing the next attorney general of the United States of America. We’re here because there is a vacancy in the office. The president decided to fire the predecessor of Mr. Blanche after just 14 months on the job after courts and grand juries blocked her from prosecuting the president’s political opponents,” Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin said in his opening statement. “Seemingly, President Trump believes you, Mr. Blanche, will be more successful.”

Blanche’s road to confirmation is further complicated by the sudden death of Sen. Lindsey Graham, a veteran of the Judiciary Committee who was expected to be a strong advocate for Blanche with his GOP colleagues. Blanche will likely need the support of every Republican on the committee in order for his nomination to advance to the Senate floor, as all Democrats are expected to oppose him.

It’s not immediately clear when the full Senate would move for a vote on Blanche’s nomination if passed by the committee, though administration officials have said their goal would be for him to be confirmed before the August recess.

Blanche argued Wednesday that his leadership has restored trust that was lost under the previous administration when the Department of Justice prosecuted Trump and many of his supporters.

“In recent years, Americans watched the Justice Department turned against many of you and a former president, and it damaged the public’s faith in justice,” Blanche said. “We are fixing that. Members of this committee — on both sides — have fair questions about the hard debates of this past year, and I welcome them.”

Blanche defends handling of Epstein files
Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley, the chairman of the committee, asked Blanche to give his response to allegations that he and other department officials deliberately mishandled the release of millions of files from the Justice Department’s past investigations of Epstein. 

As he has in previous congressional testimony, Blanche acknowledged “mistakes” made in the process regarding failures to properly redact certain names of victims, which he said the department immediately sought to fix once they were notified. 

“Whenever we learned that any victim’s name had been improperly non-redacted, we immediately took the document down and fixed it as soon as we could,” Blanche said. “That doesn’t excuse the mistakes of which I take full responsibility, but it does mean that we tried to fix them.”

Blanche also used his time to directly address victims of Epstein — several of whom were in the audience — telling them that the department would gladly meet with them and open new investigations of potential co-conspirators of Epstein if they came forth with evidence that would warrant it. 

“If we learn today, if we learn next week, if we learn next month, that there’s an individual that we can investigate, indict and prosecute out of the Epstein files, you better believe it we will,” Blanche said.

Asked if he would notify the committee once such a meeting takes place with a victim of Epstein or their counsel, Blanche demurred — drawing a rebuke from Durbin. 

“Well, you’re dancing on the head of a pin here,” Durbin said. 

“I’m not dancing on any pin,” Blanche replied. 

Blanche confirms “Anti-Weaponization Fund” is “dead”
For the first time under oath, Blanche confirmed in an exchange with Republican Sen. John Cornyn that the so-called “Anti-Weaponization Fund” is “dead.” 

Cornyn, one of the key Republican votes that Blanche will need to make it out of committee, repeatedly pushed him with specific and detailed questions regarding both the fund and the immunity agreement that would exempt President Trump and his family from IRS audits of their past taxes — which Cornyn described as “unusual.”

Cornyn repeatedly noted that the original settlement that first established the fund has still yet to be formally rescinded.

While Blanche acknowledged that, he also said the Department of Justice would be fine with codifying in some way to assure senators the fund would not move forward. 

“It is a moot issue, meaning there is no weaponization fund,” Blanche told lawmakers.

On Monday, a federal judge in Florida issued an extraordinary order that lambasted Trump and the Justice Department for misusing her court to legitimize a “settlement” that she says would never have survived judicial review.

U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams, who had previously been assigned to oversee Trump’s IRS lawsuit, referred Trump’s attorneys for potential sanctions and separately sent her ruling to the State Bar of New York for consideration in potential disciplinary proceedings for Blanche — who Williams said had potentially given “misleading” testimony to Congress about how the settlement was executed. 

Blanche, when asked during Wednesday’s hearing about Williams’ order, said he rejected her “insinuations” and said she had never given the Department of Justice a chance to respond in the case before issuing her order. Judge Williams noted in her order that while the department had 109 days to enter an appearance in the case, it never did so.

“I very much disagree with — with the judge’s insinuations about me, and we’re going to do what we can to make that right,” Blanche said.

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(WASHINGTON) — Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche is facing the Senate Judiciary Committee Wednesday as he seeks confirmation to secure his role on a permanent basis.

Blanche is likely to be grilled over a series of controversies from his time with the Justice Department, as he seeks confirmation to secure his role on a permanent basis.

Formerly President Donald Trump’s defense attorney, Blanche faced a relatively smooth glide path to confirmation with unanimous Republican support last year when he was nominated to serve as the department’s number two official.

Since Trump’s ouster of Pam Bondi as attorney general in April, Blanche has served in the position in an acting role and Trump formally nominated him in June.

Blanche’s road to confirmation is further complicated by the sudden death of Sen. Lindsey Graham, a veteran of the Judiciary Committee who was expected to be a strong advocate for Blanche with his GOP colleagues. Blanche will likely need the support of every Republican on the committee in order for his nomination to advance to the Senate floor, as all Democrats are expected to oppose him.

In recent months, multiple Republicans have voiced concerns with actions taken by the Justice Department under Blanche’s leadership — most notably the now-defunct “Anti-Weaponization Fund” that was propped up under the guise of a settlement after Trump’s personal attorneys sued the Internal Revenue Service for $10 billion over the leak of his tax returns. One day after that settlement was announced, Blanche signed an additional document that purported to give Trump and his family immunity from IRS investigations of all of their past tax returns.

The announced settlement drew bipartisan condemnation that led to an extraordinary behind-closed-doors standoff between Blanche and Senate Republicans who demanded the administration drop the proposed fund that could have been used to award Trump allies who claimed to have been wrongful targets of the Biden administration — including those convicted of attacking police during the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol.

While Blanche later said the administration was dropping the fund, the department has so far refused to commit to doing so in writing, and the DOJ has also not rescinded Blanche’s separate order regarding immunity from IRS probes for Trump and his family.

On Monday, a federal judge in Florida issued an extraordinary order that lambasted Trump and the Justice Department for misusing her court to legitimize a “settlement” that she says would never have survived judicial review.

U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams, who had previously been assigned to oversee Trump’s IRS lawsuit, referred Trump’s attorneys for potential sanctions and separately sent her ruling to the State Bar of New York for consideration in potential disciplinary proceedings for Blanche — who Williams said had potentially given “misleading” testimony to Congress about how the settlement was executed.

The Justice Department has yet to respond publicly to Williams’ order.

Cornyn: Ruling raises more questions

Republican Sen. John Cornyn, a key vote on the Judiciary Committee who has said he remains undecided on Blanche’s nomination, told reporters Monday that Williams’ ruling raised more questions for Blanche to answer in his hearing.

Sen. Thom Tillis, another closely watched Republican on the committee, said Tuesday that the fund needs to be “certainly and completely ended” before he can vote for Blanche to be sworn in as attorney general.

Both Cornyn and Tillis are serving out the end of their terms — Cornyn was defeated in Texas’ GOP primary by Trump-backed state Attorney General Ken Paxton and Tillis decided against running again after Trump threatened to put up a candidate to challenge him in North Carolina’s Republican primary.

Blanche’s handling of the “anti-weaponization fund” is just one among a series of controversies from his time atop the Justice Department that Democrats will seek to seize on to cast Blanche as an eager henchman to execute Trump’s campaign of vengeance against his political enemies.

“While deploying the Justice Department as a shield for the President and his cronies, Blanche has also used our top law-enforcement agency as a sword against Trump’s political opponents,” ranking Judiciary Committee Democrat Dick Durbin said in a statement following Blanche’s nomination.

Democrats are expected to highlight DOJ’s now-dismissed cases that targeted former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James — in addition to a new indictment targeting Comey in North Carolina over an image of seashells reading ‘8647’ that prosecutors argue amounts to a death threat targeting Trump. Comey has pleaded not guilty to those charges and his attorneys are set to argue for the case to be dismissed on the grounds he’s being vindictively targeted by the administration.

Committee Democrats will also likely press Blanche over a series of other probes that judges across the country have labeled as politically driven, dismissing subpoenas that targeted Fulton County election workers, Minnesota state officials over their refusal to cooperate on immigration enforcement, and a criminal probe of former Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell that a judge said was based on zero evidence.

Questions about ICE tactics and more

Blanche will also likely face questions over the two fatal shootings by ICE agents over the past week and the administration’s ongoing investigations into the separate shootings of protesters Renee Good and Alex Pretti during an immigration crackdown in Minneapolis earlier this year.

In recent months the administration has also mounted a more aggressive push targeting reporters to root out their sources, with the New York Times last week disclosing that several of its journalists were subpoenaed to testify in federal court in Manhattan at the same time Blanche will be appearing before the Senate panel.

Blanche also played a central role in the administration’s botched handling of the release of files stemming from its investigation into the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, and sat for a two-day interview with Epstein’s convicted co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell in federal prison while he was assistant AG. Democrats have accused Blanche of later arranging for Maxwell’s transfer to a less restrictive prison facility in Texas, which he has repeatedly denied.

In the lead up to his hearing, Blanche has been seen making frequent jaunts to Capitol Hill meeting with senators to rally support for his confirmation. In recent weeks, he has held sessions preparing answers on some of the more controversial subjects he’s likely to be pressed on — including his loyalties to Trump, his position on monetary awards for Jan. 6 defendants and Trump’s demands that the Justice Department aggressively investigate his 2020 election loss and potentially intervene in the upcoming midterms.

It’s not immediately clear when the full Senate would move for a vote on Blanche’s nomination if passed by the committee, though administration officials have said their goal would be for him to be confirmed before the August recess.

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(WASHINGTON) — Jay Clayton, President Donald Trump’s pick to serve as director of national intelligence, is scheduled to appear before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence for his nomination hearing on Wednesday.

The hearing could clear a path for lawmakers to replace the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency and Trump loyalist Bill Pulte as acting director of national intelligence and could pave the way for an extension of a lapsed surveillance authority.

Clayton’s hearing comes weeks after the president abruptly canceled his previously scheduled confirmation hearing. Lawmakers had urgently scheduled a nomination hearing for Clayton in an effort to block Pulte from temporarily taking on the role, but Trump derailed the effort.

Pulte has been serving as the acting director since June 19.

Trump derails confirmation process 

Trump, last month in an early morning social media post, said the confirmation process for Clayton would not continue until his pick to replace Clayton as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jamie McDonald, was confirmed.

“Regarding the approval of our Great Patriot, Jay Clayton, we are cancelling the Senate Hearing RE: DNI today, and will not be going forward until Jamie McDonald is approved to be U.S. Attorney,” Trump wrote. “In the meantime, Bill Pulte will remain as the Acting Director of National Intelligence.”

Pulte, who has no prior national security experience, is best known in the Trump administration for launching probes into several of the president’s perceived political enemies over allegations of mortgage fraud and possible misuse of authority.

Targets of the investigations include Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, New York Attorney General Letitia James, Democratic Sen. Adam Schiff and former Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell.

All have denied wrongdoing.

Pulte drew bipartisan concern on Capitol Hill after he sought to accelerate his predecessor’s departure from the role. The former DNI, Tulsi Gabbard, announced her intention to resign from the role in May, citing a desire to step away from public service to support her husband following his cancer diagnosis. Gabbard ultimately left the role on June 18, days earlier than planned.

In his short tenure as the acting director of national intelligence, Pulte made good on threats to cut hundreds of jobs at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence by mass firing employees in June.

It’s unclear how many jobs had been affected, but sources told ABC News last month that the National Counterterrorism Center was expected to be hit hard. Trump, for his part, had made clear he had instructed Pulte to slash jobs at the agency.

Pulte’s appointment also stalled efforts to renew Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which allows the federal government to collect communications of foreigners abroad without a warrant. The program’s legal authorization lapsed in June.

Scrutiny from skeptical lawmakers 

It’s not clear how long the Intelligence Committee will take to consider Clayton’s nomination, but he could potentially be confirmed by the Senate by the end of next week if there is unanimous agreement to speed up his consideration.

Clayton may face questions from senators on the Trump administration’s decision to issue subpoenas on Friday to several journalists who work for The New York Times after the news outlet reported last week on security concerns involving Trump’s new Qatari-donated Air Force One.

Clayton, as U.S. attorney in Manhattan, issued the subpoenas. In a statement on Saturday, a Justice Department spokeswoman said that “reporters are not the targets, those leaking classified information are.”

Clayton, prior to his role as the U.S. attorney, was also the former chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Apart from the national security cases he oversaw while serving as U.S. attorney, Clayton also lacks experience in intelligence-gathering and national security matters.

Clayton spent the bulk of his career as a corporate attorney, and prior to his appointment as U.S. attorney last year, lacked meaningful experience in criminal matters.

He has spent the last year overseeing one of the country’s highest profile federal prosecutor’s offices — focusing on drugs, gangs, immigration and fraud cases. Clayton also oversaw the unsealing of grand jury materials related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, prompting complaints from victims about the disclosure of their sensitive personal information.

Clayton was never confirmed by the Senate as U.S. attorney, though his nomination was approved by the federal judges in the district and was seen then by many as a steady hand to lead the high-profile office.

ABC News’ Aaron Katersky and Peter Charalambous contributed to this report.

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(WASHINGTON) — U.S. Supreme Court Justices Elena Kagan and Amy Coney Barrett made a rare appearance before Congress on Tuesday to pitch lawmakers on new security enhancements for the Supreme Court even as they fielded criticism about their transparency and ethics practices.

The hearing marked the first time since 2019 that members of the Supreme Court have testified on Capitol Hill and comes as the justices seek support for a larger budget — $228 million, up 10% from last year — to accommodate more security.

The funding increase would go almost entirely toward beefing up personal protection for the justices, though the court has also asked for funding to support more building officers, an off-site security office and new cybersecurity hires.

Lawmakers seemed largely sympathetic to the justices on Tuesday, who cited a heightened threat environment — and the personal toll it takes on their daily lives — in recent years. The Supreme Court police report that threats against the justices increased by 38% last year and 25% the prior year.

In the hearing’s most personal moment, Justice Barrett shared that she brought a bulletproof vest home around the time of the court’s leaked opinion overturning Roe v. Wade — a precaution she struggled to explain to her 12-year-old son. 

“I didn’t expect that performing this service was going to put me in the position of explaining to my children what a bulletproof vest was and why I had to wear one,” Barrett said, calling the threat environment “really high.”

Barrett also confirmed news reports that she was the target of a swatting incident six weeks ago, saying her teenage son opened the door to swarms of law enforcement. Swatting involves hoax calls about bogus shootings and other emergencies.

Other justices have also faced security concerns in recent years, most notably when a man went to Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s house in 2022 looking to assassinate him in the weeks after the Dobbs opinion was leaked.

Each member currently has between four and eight agents assigned to them, the justices testified on Tuesday — a number they said fluctuates based on the justices’ schedule and the scrutiny they’re under. 

The Supreme Court’s requested 2027 budget would significantly expand that security force. The justices are seeking $14.6 million to fund six additional agents per justice — a total of 54 new officers — and to hire 25 officers dedicated to the Supreme Court building.

The justices argued on Tuesday that the current staff allocation is insufficient. Barrett said it risks burn out and exhaustion, noting the same detail often drops her off at 11 p.m. and must then arrive in the morning again.

The court has also asked for $6.5 million to fund an “exterior visitor screening facility design.” The money would go toward blueprints and early planning for an off-campus security process for those entering the court.

Kagan briefly addressed the proposal, saying the justices were concerned about visitors entering the building before they had been screened. Currently, members of the public go through magnetometers and x-ray machines inside the lobby area beneath the grand staircase. 

The justices were also asked about more unconventional threats, including from drones and cyber warfare.

Barrett acknowledged that “drone mitigation measures are certainly on security’s radar.” She also said that cybersecurity attacks were increasing “by magnitudes year after year.” The Supreme Court has asked for $2.3 million to fund cybersecurity-related hires — part of a yearslong plan to protect its data and bolster technology infrastructure.

Though lawmakers largely steered clear of hot-button policy issues on Tuesday, Democrats pressed the justices on transparency-related concerns that they say have eroded trust in the court. 

Lawmakers appeared most frustrated with the court’s prolific use of the so-called “shadow docket” — also known as the “emergency docket” — to reach decisions on emergency requests more quickly and without a full briefing or oral argument.

Notably, Kagan — who has long been publicly critical of this practice — defended the practice on Tuesday. She said it was no longer accurate to refer to it as “shadow” because the court was more frequently providing explanations alongside their snap decisions on the docket.

“We have done, I think, a better job in the recent past of where appropriate — and it’s not always appropriate — but where appropriate, explaining ourselves at least to a moderate degree,” Kagan said.

Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, pressed the justices in particular on their ethical practices after recent ethics scandals, such as Justice Clarence Thomas’ unreported financial ties to and luxury travel with a billionaire GOP donor and Justice Samuel Alito’s reported luxury vacation he took with a wealthy hedge fund manager who later had business before the Supreme Court.

DeLauro called on the Supreme Court to adopt a gift ban, citing a bill reintroduced by her colleague Rep. Jamie Raskin on Tuesday that would prevent the justices from accepting gifts greater than $50.

DeLauro also pressed the justices on how they were enforcing their code of conduct, adopted in 2023. Though Barrett hesitated to endorse an independent enforcement mechanism, Kagan said she was supportive. 

“I think that we would be better off with an enforcement mechanism,” Kagan said. “I think that my colleagues are taking this code incredibly seriously, all making every effort — and I think successful efforts — to live by it. But if nothing else, for public confidence.”

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(WASHINGTON) — Darline Graham, Lindsey Graham’s sister, was officially sworn in to the Senate on Tuesday afternoon to finish the remainder of her late brother’s term.

Republican Chuck Grassley, the president pro tempore of the Senate, presided over the ceremony.

Darline Graham was escorted by fellow South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott and Alabama Sen. Katie Britt, both Republicans, as she approached to dais to take the oath of office. The chamber, filled with a number of Democratic and Republican senators, applauded after she was sworn in.

Lindsey Graham, a four-term Republican senator, died over the weekend at the age of 71. Darline Graham will serve out the remaining months of his current term, which expires in January.

Darline Graham was appointed by South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster on Monday. President Donald Trump supported her appointment, calling it a fabulous tribute” to Lindsey Graham, who at a young age became Darline Graham’s legal guardian after the deaths of their parents.

“Lindsey has always been there for me. And now I will be there for him,” Darline Graham said on Monday.

Who is Darline Graham?

Darline Graham, who lives in Lexington, South Carolina, has served since 2019 as commissioner of the South Carolina Commission for the Blind, according to a biography provided by Gov. McMaster’s office on Monday. She also serves on the South Carolina State Workforce Development Board and is president-elect of the National Council of State Agencies for the Blind.

She also previously held roles with Clemson University, the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce and the South Carolina Department of Vocational Rehabilitation, the governor’s office said.

Darline Graham, a mother of two, earned a bachelor’s degree from the College of Charleston, a master’s degree in rehabilitation counseling and is a certified public manager, according to the release.

After their parents died when Lindsey Graham was 22 years old, he took on a caretaker role for Darline Graham, then 13, and became her legal guardian. Talking to C-SPAN in 2015, Lindsey Graham said his sister’s success was “the highlight” of his life “by far.”

Their close relationship was evident throughout Lindsey Graham’s political career. Darline Graham appeared with him several times on the campaign trail and in campaign videos.

“It is such a privilege to get to finish some of his important work, and I promise to work hard over the next several months to support the president and carry forward the efforts of my brother on behalf of the citizens of South Carolina and the United States,” she said on Monday.

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(WASHINGTON) — The Senate will swear in Darline Graham on Tuesday afternoon to finish the remainder of her late brother Lindsey Graham’s term.

The swearing-in ceremony is scheduled to take place at 2:30 p.m. on the Senate floor.

Lindsey Graham, a longtime Republican senator from South Carolina, died over the weekend at the age of 71.

On Monday, South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster announced he was appointing Darline Graham to serve in Lindsey Graham’s place until the term ends in early January. President Donald Trump also supported the appointment, calling it a fabulous tribute” to Lindsey Graham, who at a young age became Darline Graham’s legal guardian after the deaths of their parents.

“Lindsey has always been there for me. And now I will be there for him,” Darline Graham said on Monday.

Who is Darline Graham?

Darline Graham, who lives in Lexington, South Carolina, has served since 2019 as commissioner of the South Carolina Commission for the Blind, according to a biography provided by Gov. McMaster’s office on Monday. She also serves on the South Carolina State Workforce Development Board and is president-elect of the National Council of State Agencies for the Blind.

She also previously held roles with Clemson University, the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce and the South Carolina Department of Vocational Rehabilitation, the governor’s office said.

Darline Graham, a mother of two, earned a bachelor’s degree from the College of Charleston, a master’s degree in rehabilitation counseling and is a certified public manager, according to the release.

After their parents died when Lindsey Graham was 22 years old, he took on a caretaker role for Darline Graham, then 13, and became her legal guardian. Talking to C-SPAN in 2015, Lindsey Graham said his sister’s success was “the highlight” of his life “by far.”

Their close relationship was evident throughout Lindsey Graham’s political career. Darline Graham appeared with him several times on the campaign trail and in campaign videos.

“It is such a privilege to get to finish some of his important work, and I promise to work hard over the next several months to support the president and carry forward the efforts of my brother on behalf of the citizens of South Carolina and the United States,” she said on Monday.

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(WASHINGTON) — Secretary of State Marco Rubio is preparing to host delegations from more than 70 countries this week for a gathering focused on addressing what the Trump administration describes as the overlooked threat posed by “the resurgence of transnational far-left terrorism,” according to a State Department official and internal documents reviewed exclusively by ABC News.

“For too long this threat has remained a blind spot in the international community’s counterterrorism focus, underestimated and under-resourced, despite the danger it poses,” a note shared with foreign governments describing the concept of the meeting reads.

It goes on to assert that law enforcement and counterterrorism experts have revealed a “clear trend” of “globally networked, politically-motivated terrorists — particularly far-left terrorists” increasingly turning to “organized, deadly violence to advance their political objectives.”

The meeting, which will take place in Washington on Thursday, will lay the foundation for “coordinated action” to counter international organizations that are “seeking to implement an extreme political vision through intimidation and coordinated campaigns of terror,” the document states.

Representatives from roughly 60 countries were initially expected to attend, but the State Department said in a post to X on Friday it would expand the ministerial due to “overwhelming interest” by inviting additional countries “working to combat the growing international threat of far-left violence.”

A State Department official said more than 10 additional invitations had been extended.

Some critics of the Trump administration’s counterterrorism approach have claimed its focus on threats from the far left is misguided.

Analysis conducted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in 2025 found that while left-wing violence in the U.S. has increased over the past decade, “it has risen from very low levels and remains much lower than historical levels of violence carried out by right-wing and jihadist attackers.”

The CSIS report concluded it was “important to resource all dimensions of the terrorism threat.”

“Left-wing terrorism is a Trump administration priority, but jihadist terrorism also remains a concern even though it has declined,” it states. “Right-wing terrorism could come roaring back, especially if in 2028 there are complaints of a ‘stolen election’ or similar incendiary claims.”

The ACLU has also taken issue with multiple actions taken by the Trump administration’s counterterrorism approach, accusing it of targeting politically opposed but peaceful activists and donors “under the guise of addressing political violence and domestic terrorism.”

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(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump said on Monday he wants Lindsey Graham’s sister, Darline Graham Nordone, to be his temporary replacement in the Senate.

South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster announced around the same time as Trump’s post that he will be making an announcement about who is appointing to the Senate seat at 4 p.m. on Monday

ABC News has reached out to McMaster’s office about Trump’s push for Nordone to be Graham’s replacement. ABC News has already reached out to Nordone for comment.

Trump wrote in a social media post that he made his recommendation to McMaster, and said it would a “fabulous tribute” to Graham.

Separate from the temporary replacement to complete Graham’s term, South Carolina will hold a special election on Aug. 11 to replace Graham as the Republican nominee on the general election ballot this November.

Graham and his sister shared an incredibly close relationship. After their parents died when Graham was only 22 years old, he took on a caretaker role for his younger sister, becoming her legal guardian.

Nordone, in a recent video for Graham’s reelection campaign, said of her brother, “He’s always been there for me, no matter what.”

It is not immediately clear if Nordone has any political experience or aspirations. According to The New York Times, Nordone is a mother of two and has worked to help people with disabilities find jobs. 

Graham’s office announced over the weekend that the longtime Republican lawmaker had died suddenly at the age of 71. Preliminary findings from the Medical Examiner of the District of Columbia said the senator died from an “aortic dissection due to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease.”

Trump, in an interview with “Fox and Friends” on Monday morning, called Graham a “friend” and praised his work on shepherding through the nomination of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh during his first term.

“He had fun with politics, but he was really good at it,” Trump said of Graham. “And then when he got angry, like he did in the case of Brett Kavanaugh, it was so impactful.”

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(WASHINGTON) — Lindsey Graham, a longtime Republican senator from South Carolina, who had become one of President Donald Trump’s staunchest political allies, died on Saturday after a “brief and sudden” illness, his office said in a statement. He was 71.

“Senator Graham’s family appreciates prayers at this time and asks for privacy during this incredibly difficult period,” said the statement, which was posted early Sunday on social media.

First elected to the Senate in 2002, Graham had in 23 years risen to be one of the chamber’s most prominent figures. He won reelection three times, most recently in 2020.

“Senator Lindsey Graham, one of the greatest people and Senators I have ever known, is dead!” Trump said on social media on Sunday morning. “He was always working, and was a true American Patriot. Lindsey will be greatly missed!!!”

The flags above the White House, as well as on the White House North Lawn flagpole, have been lowered to half staff following the news of Graham’s death.

Graham was aligned with the president on most matters and the two were seen together frequently on the golf course and at events. He advised the president on matters of foreign policy, including recently on the Iran war. He was outspoken in support of the president’s decision to lead strikes on nuclear sites in Iran last year.

Graham served as the current chair of the Senate Budget Committee, a role he had most recently used to lead the Senate’s efforts to pass a roughly $70 billion budget reconciliation bill to provide funding for border security. That legislation was signed by Trump in June.

He was a also member of the Appropriations, Judiciary and Environment and Public Works committees.

In his time in the Senate, Graham also helmed the powerful Senate Judiciary Committee from 2019 to 2022.

While atop the panel, he led the committee through the swift confirmation of Justice Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court, following the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in the final months of Trump’s first term. Graham had earlier been among those who blocked President Barack Obama’s nomination of Merrick Garland, his pick to fill the vacancy left by the death of Justice Antonin Scalia, almost 11 months before the 2016 presidential election.

Graham would have returned to the top GOP position on the committee next Congress.

Before his time in the Senate, Graham had served in the House, where he represented South Carolina’s third district. He was first elected to that office in 1994 and served four terms.

In his more than three decades in Washington, Graham had sparred with several presidents. As a member of the House in 1998, he was appointed a manager of the impeachment proceedings against then-President Bill Clinton. He was a harsh critic of Obama, as well as President Joe Biden, whom he also considered a longtime friend from their years together in the Senate.

Graham was also once numbered among the fiercest critics of Trump, whom he ran against in the 2016 presidential election, a race he withdrew from before the primaries. But their relationship had softened, with Graham saying he had turned into one of his closest friends.

“On a professional level, I am proud to have been there at the beginning when President Trump — through sheer force of will — achieved the greatest political comeback in American history,” Graham said in March 2025. “On a personal level, I genuinely enjoy our friendship. He’s an awesome golfing buddy, who I have yet to beat.”

The president recently endorsed Graham in his primary campaign, in which Graham sailed to victory in June with nearly 57% of the vote, defeating several challengers. He was slated to appear on the ballot this November.

Trump held a tele-rally for Graham ahead of the race, praising their partnership amid the war in Iran, which Graham staunchly defended.

“They cannot have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said at the time. “And Lindsey has been fighting with me all the way. All the way for that. We’ve been a very tough team and I think we are winning that battle.”

He was a member of the Judiciary committee since he first joined the Senate in 2003. His time on the panel was spent working to mold the federal judiciary. While serving on the committee he helped to advance confirmation of conservative judges to the federal bench, and also became a staunch defender of Trump, his close friend and ally.

Graham in recent statements appeared positive that he and Trump would continue in lockstep if Graham was reelected the in fall.

“Let me tell you in ’27, if I win in November, I’ll be chairman of the Judiciary Committee,” he said. “I’ll wake up every morning and go to bed every night, thinking, ‘How many judges can we put on the bench before Trump leaves in ’28.'”

He had been a foreign policy hawk during his time in office, supporting the president in his war with Iran, making visits to Israel and fostering a strong and at-times contentious relationship with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He pushed for military aid to the country, including weapons and financial assistance.

Shortly before his death, Graham made his 10th visit to Ukraine — meeting with Zelenskyy and visiting a drone manufacturer in the country. He and a bipartisan group of senators announced on Friday a bipartisan deal with the White House on a Russia-sanctions bill that Graham had long-championed.

“In my opinion, this summer is the time to go all in to put pressure on [Russian President Vladimir] Putin to get to the peace table and end the bloodbath,” he said on July 7.

Zelenskyy said on Sunday that he and Graham met twice in the past week, adding that he was “deeply saddened” by the news, calling the senator a “true defender of freedom,” a “staunch advocate” for Ukraine and a “determined leader.”

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, in a statement posted on Sunday morning, called the senator a “dear friend,” going on to say, “Israel has lost one of its greatest friends. America has lost a great patriot. I have lost a beloved friend.”

Graham was also highly involved, earlier in his career, in efforts to craft a bipartisan deal on immigration. He worked across the aisle in 2013 to negotiate a border security bill that created a pathway to citizenship for some undocumented migrants while increasing border security and changing immigration rules. That legislation never became law.

Lindsey Olin Graham was born on July 9, 1955, in Central, South Carolina, a town in the state’s northwest that, at that time, had little more than 1,000 residents.

His official Senate biography described his family as “blue collar,” saying his parents ran a local restaurant and pool hall. He became the legal guardian to his younger sister and raised her after his parents died.

“The first member of his family to go to college, Graham earned his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of South Carolina,” his bio said.

The year after he earned a law degree in 1981, he joined the U.S. Air Force, where he served as a lawyer. He was assigned overseas in Germany between 1984 and 1988, before leaving active duty the following year.

As a reservist, he was later called to active duty during the first Gulf War, during which he served state-side.

He retired as a reservist in June 2015 at the rank of colonel.

Graham lived in Seneca, South Carolina, and was not married. His official biography says he was a member of Corinth Baptist Church.

He last voted in the Senate on June 24, right before the chamber departed for the Fourth of July recess. The Senate is slated to return on Monday.

Graham had been a longtime friend of Sen. John McCain, a Republican, who died in 2018, and Sen. Joe Lieberman, a Democrat-turned-independent, who died in 2024.

The three “traveled the world together,” Graham said in 2018.

“I’ve seen these guys in action,” Graham said at the time. “I’ve learned a lot from both of them and we had so much fun.”

Majority Leader John Thune said on Sunday that his “heart is heavy” to learn of the death of his friend and colleague.

“As South Carolina’s senior senator, Lindsey fought passionately for the Palmetto State,” Thune said in a post on social media. “He was a trusted adviser and colleague to me and many others, and numerous presidents and heads of state have relied on his counsel. His influence on the federal judiciary, our national defense, and his beloved South Carolina will be felt for generations.”

ABC News’ Shannon Kingston, Nicholas Kerr and Charlotte Gardiner contributed to this report.

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