President Donald Trump told NBC News’ Kristen Welker Sunday that he already has a replacement in mind for Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) following the senator’s sudden and unexpected death Saturday night, somebody he said he thought “would be great.”
Graham’s office announced Saturday night that the South Carolina Republican had “passed away from a brief and sudden illness.” Further reporting revealed that Graham may have suffered from cardiac arrest, though officials have not released an official cause of death.
Trump told Welker during a phone call to NBC News’ “Meet the Press” that he had learned of Graham’s death at around 1:30 a.m. ET earlier that morning. Despite Graham’s death having happened just hours earlier, Welker asked the president whether he had an individual in mind to replace Graham.
“Mr. President, it's nearly impossible to think about replacing Sen. Lindsey Graham, and yet, the governor of the great state of South Carolina is going to need to appoint someone on an interim basis,” Welker said. “There will also be a special election called. Do you have – I know it's only hours – but is there someone you think he should appoint?”
Trump revealed that he did, in fact, have an individual already in mind to replace Graham on an interim basis.
“I have somebody that I think would be great, but I don't want to say it now because it's too soon with Lindsey,” Trump said. “I don't want to even talk about anybody, but I do have somebody that I think is really good.”
Trump went on to praise South Carolina Republican Gov. Henry McMaster and boasted that McMaster had “endorsed me right from the beginning.”
“He endorsed me out of nowhere, he said, 'I like that guy the best,’” Trump said of McMaster.
Trump then reiterated that he did have a replacement for Graham in mind, but again, refused to divulge their identity.
“I have somebody that I like, but I'm not gonna tell you who now because it's too soon,” Trump said. “I never thought I'd be in this position, I said I thought Lindsey was gonna be living forever! I said, 'Lindsey, you're gonna live forever!'”
"I have somebody that I think would be great"
Trump muses on Lindsey Graham's replacement hours after sudden and unexpected death pic.twitter.com/LcDfPpiEJa
— Alexander Willis (@ReporterWillis) July 12, 2026