Live updates: Trump campaigns for Darline Graham in South Carolina ahead of next week’s runoff
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The president has endorsed Graham, sister of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, for a full six-year term. She is running against Rep. Ralph Norman in a GOP primary runoff Tuesday.
What to know today
- S.C. REMARKS: President Donald Trump is delivering remarks tonight in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, in support of Sen. Darline Graham. Graham has faced criticism this week over her performance at Tuesday night's debate as well as her general readiness for the job.
- WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM: The Supreme Court ruled that construction of Trump's White House ballroom can temporarily continue. Chief Justice John Roberts issued a temporary stay of lower court rulings that would have put the aboveground portion of the project on hold.
- VANCE TO OHIO: Vice President JD Vance campaigned this afternoon in his hometown of Middletown, Ohio. He delivered remarks touting the Trump administration’s agenda alongside Energy Secretary Chris Wright.
Trump set to take the stage in South Carolina
The president is expected to take the stage shortly in Myrtle Beach, where he is campaigning for Sen. Darline Graham in the final stretch before Tuesday’s Republican primary runoff.
Behind the podium, a large sign reads “MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” while “SOUTH CAROLINA IS GRAHAM COUNTRY” signs flank both sides of the stage.
Allison Joyce / Bloomberg via Getty Images
Tonight’s appearance comes at a sensitive moment for Graham after her debate performance this week renewed questions about her experience and readiness for the job. Her answer on Taiwan and the South China Sea, including saying she was “not that informed on national security,” has become a central line of attack for Rep. Ralph Norman.
Trump’s visit is also a significant show of support for Graham, whom he encouraged to run and quickly endorsed. She finished first in the initial primary but took just 33% of the vote, sending the race to a runoff.
Allison Joyce / Bloomberg via Getty Images
Numerous members of Congress have addressed the crowd tonight, including Sens. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., and Tim Scott, R-S.C., as well as Rep. Russell Fry, R-S.C. Fry, who finished third in the initial primary and has since endorsed Graham, represents the Myrtle Beach area.
DOJ subpoenas targeting Trump foe Letitia James cannot be enforced, appeals court rules
A U.S. appeals court ruled today that the Justice Department could not enforce subpoenas seeking information about cases pursued by New York Attorney General Letitia James because it had unlawfully installed an ally of President Donald Trump as a top prosecutor.
Michael M. Santiago / Getty Images
The case stems from subpoenas that the top federal prosecutor in Albany, Trump ally John Sarcone, issued to James’ office in August 2025 seeking records about civil lawsuits James filed against Trump and his family business and against the National Rifle Association gun rights group.
The Manhattan-based 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld today in a 2-1 ruling a lower court’s decision to bar Sarcone from investigating the case, finding he was unlawfully serving as the lead prosecutor on the probe.
That marked the third time a U.S. appeals court had rejected the Trump administration’s efforts to circumvent the appointment process for U.S. Attorneys, who serve as the top federal prosecutors in their districts and must be either confirmed by the U.S. Senate or approved by federal judges.
South Carolina voters weigh Trump's endorsement against Sen. Darline Graham's debate flub
South Carolina voters are split on whether to support Sen. Darline Graham in Tuesday's Republican primary runoff, as President Trump prepares to stump for Graham at a rally in Myrtle Beach tonight.
Peter Zay / Anadolu via Getty Images
Two Graham supporters told NBC News that Trump’s endorsement was essentially driving their vote.
Lynn Spivy said she does not know much about either candidate’s platform, but added, “If Trump supports her, I do too.” Don Fulcher similarly said he plans to vote for Graham “because Trump’s endorsing her,” and said the president’s endorsement matters “a lot, because she’s going to support him also.”
But Graham’s foreign policy flub, including her remark that "national security is not my thing," during the debate against her opponent, Rep. Ralph Norman, on Tuesday seems to have deterred some voters.
Daniel Musick, a Myrtle Beach voter who plans to support Ralph Norman, said that Graham’s debate performance was a deciding factor in his vote.
Musick said Graham’s answer on China and Taiwan made it “really unclear that she knew her foreign policy,” adding, “to me, that was the biggest issue.” He described Graham as “untested” and said Norman’s views more closely align with his own.
Several voters who spoke with NBC News today are still making up their minds. Roger, a Myrtle Beach voter, said he has not made his final choice and said Graham’s “people should have briefed her a little bit more” before the debate. He said Trump’s endorsement “could” influence him, calling it “a weight,” but said he still wants to look at Norman’s policies.
Glenda Clinksales, who lives near Anderson, S.C., also remains undecided and said Graham’s debate performance is factoring into her decision. “Some good answers and some not so good answers,” she said. Clinksales said she wants to hear more from Graham and that hearing her tonight will help her make up her mind before Tuesday’s runoff.
While speaking to reporters on the tarmac ahead of his flight to South Carolina today, Trump brushed off concerns about Graham's debate blunder.
Asked about her answer on national security, Trump said, "All she was is being honest. She’s very smart, and she was being honest."
"I mean, she’s into the price of groceries, the price of food, the price of beef, and it’s not, it hasn’t been her thing, but she’s surrounded by very good people, and she said that she’s totally for the military," Trump said.
The president added that Graham "understands that national security is my thing" and said he "thought it was a very honest answer, actually."
Trump argues that economic growth will 'take care' of rising national debt
The president brushed off concerns about the national debt surpassing $40 trillion, telling reporters today that that the country's "tremendous growth" would take care of the problem.
“The growth will take care of that very easily,” Trump said.
Asked whether he has been discussing what to do about the debt, Trump said, “I have," without providing specifics.
He added that the debt has "been a problem for 35 years.”
Trump says Ed Martin is leaving the Justice Department to focus on ‘legal battles’ in upcoming elections
Trump loyalist Ed Martin, a “Stop the Steal” organizer and advocate and attorney for Jan. 6 defendants, who later served in the Justice Department, is leaving the administration to focus on upcoming elections, Trump announced today.
“Ed Martin has been with me from the very beginning, and done an incredible job as an Attorney, Director of the Weaponization Working Group, and the United States Attorney for the District of Columbia,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.
“Ed is now leaving to go outside to fight Legal Battles for the upcoming Midterm Election, and the Presidential Election of 2028. I know he will do an outstanding job, ensure Free, Fair, and Honest Elections, and strongly advance our Constitutional Rights. Good luck Ed!”
Attorney General Todd Blanche praised Martin in a post on X, calling him “a patriot who loves this nation.” “We look forward to seeing his future successes!” Blanche wrote.
Trump attacks Democrats as ‘communists’ — while acquiring government stakes in private companies
Step aside, “socialism.” Trump has seized on “communism” as his new favored line of attack against Democrats, having invoked the word more than 100 times since late June as he tries to rouse voters and preserve a narrow Republican congressional majority in the upcoming midterm elections.
Justine Goode / NBC News; Getty Images
A red menace that had its heyday when Trump was growing up in the 1950s has returned, in his telling, posing a threat to the nation’s core identity.
Sanford endorses Norman ahead of Senate GOP primary runoff in South Carolina
Former Gov. Mark Sanford endorsed his former Senate GOP primary opponent in South Carolina, Rep. Ralph Norman, this morning, ahead of the Senate Republican primary runoff on Tuesday.
"Are there things on which I disagree with Ralph, absolutely. But again there are no carbon copies as candidates, and I have seen first hand his experience in legislative circles, matched by a conservative voting record and conservative stands," Sanford said in a post on X.
Sanford endorsed Norman over Sen. Darline Graham, whom he called “a good lady.” Sanford said his relationship to Graham’s late brother, Sen. Lindsey Graham, made him want to remain neutral in the race — before explaining why he felt he could not.
"As much as I would like to honor tradition and old friendships, the stakes are simply too high as our nation really is at a financial tipping point," Sanford said, referring to the crossing this week of the $40 trillion national debt threshold. "It’s for these reasons and more that I will be voting for Ralph on Tuesday and respectfully ask that you do the same."
Rep. Russell Fry, who ran unsuccessfully for the Senate seat in the special primary election earlier this month, endorsed Graham last week.
Alex Vindman plans to donate campaign war chest to fellow Democrats
After an upset loss in Tuesday's Florida Democratic Senate primary, Alex Vindman in a post on X pledged to donate some of his campaign's remaining cash to fellow Democrats.
Joe Raedle / Getty Images
"Here in Florida, we have a governor’s race, and House races we need to win to take back the chamber, and of course the Senate race. So, my campaign has made a $400,000 contribution to the Florida Democratic Party," Vindman wrote. "And that is just the beginning. Over the course of the next few days and weeks, we are going to make more contributions to the places it will matter most."
Vindman’s campaign had over $7 million on hand as of July 29, according to his latest campaign finance filing.
He was widely expected to win the Democratic nominee spot in Tuesday's primary but lost to progressive state Rep. Angie Nixon. Nixon will face Sen. Ashley Moody, R-Fla., in the general election.
GOP Rep. Ralph Norman to hold town hall in South Carolina just before Trump campaigns with his primary opponent
Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., is set to hold a town hall this evening in Anderson, South Carolina, just before Trump will campaign with Norman's Senate GOP primary opponent, Sen. Darline Graham.
Today is the last day for early voting before the state holds the GOP primary runoff election on Tuesday.
Vance to travel to his hometown in Ohio today to deliver economic speech
Vice President JD Vance will travel to his hometown of Middletown, Ohio, today to deliver remarks about the Trump administration’s economic policies.
The event will take place at Cleveland-Cliffs Middletown Works, where Vance said yesterday that his grandfather worked for “nearly 40 years.”
Leandro Lozada / AFP via Getty Images
"Plants like this wouldn’t exist were it not for some of the Trump administration’s economic policies," he said in an interview on "The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show" yesterday.
He's also set to visit some Cincinnati chili restaurants to campaign with congressional candidates.
Trump to campaign with Sen. Darline Graham in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Trump will travel to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, this afternoon to campaign with GOP Sen. Darline Graham, days before the Senate GOP primary runoff election. Early voting for the race began Wednesday and ends today.
The president will deliver remarks at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center.
Graham is running in the runoff election on Tuesday, just weeks after she and Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., advanced to it in the initial special primary election.
'Enough is enough': Rep. Beatty urges court to block Kennedy Center changes
Attorneys for Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, have filed an emergency motion in an effort to block the Kennedy Center board from effectuating what it voted on last week — to add Trump’s name to the facade of the Kennedy Center and to close the center for two years for renovations — two things this court has already blocked the administration from doing.
“It’s déjà vu all over again,” attorney Nathaniel Zelinsky wrote, calling the latest renovation plans "a new and breathtaking act of defiance of Congress and of this Court."
Zelinsky explained that the Kennedy Center board voted on the text reading: “Restored and Renovated by President Donald J. Trump” and “Endowed by the Trump Kennedy Center Fund.”
While the Kennedy Center said it will not make any changes to the facade until Sept. 8 at the earliest, Beatty’s attorneys say that, unless the court intervenes, the board will “rush to knowingly violate the law and thumb their nose at the Court.”
“Enough is enough,” Zelinsky wrote. “Defendants’ contemptuous behavior must stop. The Court decided this issue on May 29, 2026. Defendants do not like the law, and they do not like this Court’s enforcement of the law. But they are not above the law, and so they must comply.”
They’re asking a federal judge here in Washington for an immediate pause of the resolution the board voted on at its meeting on Aug. 13 — to allow time for a hearing to take place on this issue.
Sen. Darline Graham faces more questions about her qualifications after debate blunder
Even before Tuesday night’s debate, Sen. Darline Graham has been fending off questions about her qualifications to replace her brother, the late Lindsey Graham, in the Senate.
But her performance at the debate brought a fresh round of questioning in South Carolina — a state with a proud military tradition and several key bases and installations — when she whiffed on a question about Taiwan and acknowledged that she doesn’t know much about national security.
USS Lincoln heads home after extended deployment to the Middle East
The USS Abraham Lincoln is on its way back home following an extended nine-month deployment, a U.S. official told NBC News.
The U.S. official said the ship has been sailing for a few days and is expected to arrive back in San Diego in a few weeks.
The Lincoln, which has been at sea for more than 250 days, has 5,000 sailors and Marines on board. The deployment has been marred by reports of deteriorating conditions.
