{"id":2646719,"date":"2026-08-18T21:46:02","date_gmt":"2026-08-19T01:46:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/graham-says-national-security-not-my-thing-but-vows-to-back-trumps-agenda\/"},"modified":"2026-08-18T21:48:49","modified_gmt":"2026-08-19T01:48:49","slug":"graham-says-national-security-not-my-thing-but-vows-to-back-trumps-agenda","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/graham-says-national-security-not-my-thing-but-vows-to-back-trumps-agenda\/","title":{"rendered":"Graham says national security &#8216;not my thing&#8217; but vows to back Trump&#8217;s agenda"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">26<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fgraham-says-national-security-not-my-thing-but-vows-to-back-trumps-agenda%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2646719&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Senator darline Graham Nordone from South Carolina, a Republican endorsed by Donald Trump, participated in a debate where she acknowledged her limited knowledge of national security but expressed support for trump&#8217;s defense policies. She is running in a closely watched runoff against Representative Ralph Norman to succeed the late Senator Lindsey Graham, with Trump backing her and Haley supporting Norman. During the debate, she admitted her lack of expertise in national security but affirmed her support for the military and Trump&#8217;s approach, including his stance on Iran and Taiwan. Norman emphasized strength through peace, praising Trump\u2019s policies that empower Taiwan and deter adversaries, and called for transparency from Trump regarding Middle East conflicts. The candidates also discussed defense spending and their differing views on military interventions. The runoff is scheduled for August 25.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sen. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/darline-graham-nordone\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"23139\">Darline Graham Nordone<\/a> (R-SC) said <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/section\/policy\/national-security\/\" data-type=\"category\" data-id=\"98\">national security<\/a> is not her forte but staunchly defended President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"4\">Donald Trump<\/a>\u2018s defense agenda, echoing many of the opinions expressed by her late brother as she seeks to take over his long-held seat.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Graham took the debate stage in Newberry, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/south-carolina\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"524\">South Carolina<\/a>, with her opponent, Rep. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/ralph-norman\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"4637\">Ralph Norman <\/a>(R-SC), as the two go head-to-head in a closely watched Senate Republican runoff to replace the late Sen. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/lindsey-graham\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"737\">Lindsey Graham<\/a>. Trump has endorsed Graham in the race, while Norman has the backing of notable South Carolina current and former lawmakers, including former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4692180\/darline-graham-national-security-south-carolina-senate\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Graham says national security \u2018not my thing\u2019 but vows to back Trump\u2019s defense agenda<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4691627\/florida-senate-alex-vindman-angie-nixon\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Socialist Nixon upsets Trump whistleblower Vindman to win Florida Senate primary<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4690388\/ryan-elijah-cory-mills-florida-house-race\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Ryan Elijah beats embattled Cory Mills in another ousting of an incumbent<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During the debate, hosted by Newsmax, the candidates were asked if tensions between China and Taiwan were a national security concern for the United States.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI\u2019m just going to be honest here,\u201d Graham said. \u201cI\u2019m not that informed on national security.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI\u2019m not a polished politician up here,\u201d she said. \u201cNational security is not my thing, not my area of expertise. But I do support the military.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Norman, however, used the question to champion Trump\u2019s policy of \u201cpeace through strength,\u201d noting that Taiwan is an ally of the U.S. and collaborates in the chip manufacturing industry.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhat the president is doing right is he\u2019s enabling Taiwan to defend themselves against China, but it\u2019s peace through strength that he\u2019s showing with Iran that China, Russia, others are looking at it so that they don\u2019t want to deal with America, and that\u2019s why they haven\u2019t attacked Taiwan,\u201d Norman said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">National security has proven to be a weak point for Graham, particularly as she seeks to succeed her brother, a well-known foreign policy and national security hawk who vocally supported Taiwan. On other areas of national security and defense policy, Graham stuck by her brother\u2019s views, saying she would support Trump\u2019s policies.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When pressed about the Iran war and Tehran and Washington\u2019s failed ceasefire agreement, Graham delivered a similar line.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI fully trust President Trump when it comes to the war in Iran,\u201d Graham said. \u201c47 years this has been going on. Iran is the weakest they have been in 47 years. The one thing that concerns me is we cannot let them get a nuclear weapon, so I trust President Trump and everything he\u2019s doing. I think he\u2019s got this, and I trust him on it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Norman, however, slightly checked the president on his Iran war approach and said Americans need to be better informed by Trump about what is going on in the Middle East.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWin looks like \u2014 I mean, he took them out militarily as far as getting a nuclear weapon, where you had, you know, Obama paying cash bribes in the middle of the night, so [Trump] did the job to take them out,\u201d Norman said. \u201cThey were a severe threat, and he had the courage to do that. Now, I think that we\u2019ve got to end it. \u2026 He\u2019s got to tell the American people what\u2019s it going to take. If the Strait of Hormuz are still dominated by a country that\u2019s supposed to be decimated, we got to have some understanding on that because I\u2019m not for endless wars. You win them and you get out. And so I think once he explains that as what\u2019s going to have to be done.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-25\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/magazine-features\/4685808\/does-anyone-want-to-win-midterm-elections\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/magazine-features\/4685808\/does-anyone-want-to-win-midterm-elections\/\">DOES ANYONE WANT TO WIN THE MIDTERM ELECTIONS?<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On defense policy, Graham also noted the importance of approving defense spending, hitting her opponent for previously voting against a defense spending bill. Norman clarified that he had only voted against the unspecified bill in question because he saw a better deal, noting his role as a businessman.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Graham and Norman will face off in a Republican primary runoff on Aug. 25.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-26\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-5\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Graham, unsure on security, backs Trump\u2019s defense plan<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4130,"featured_media":2646720,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP26230850535097.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[3803,50611,36469,5894,3634],"class_list":["post-2646719","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-graham","tag-national-security-2","tag-political-stance","tag-politics","tag-trump"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP26230850535097.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2646719","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4130"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2646719"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2646719\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2646722,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2646719\/revisions\/2646722"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2646720"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2646719"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2646719"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2646719"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}