Graham's Sister Named Senator as US Strikes Iran Third Consecutive Night

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Three days after Sen. Lindsey Graham died of an aortic dissection at 71, South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster appointed Graham's younger sister, Darline Graham Nordone, to serve the remainder of his Senate term through January 3, 2027. It behind the appointment is striking on its own: when Graham was in college, both their parents died within a year of each other, leaving Darline an orphan at 13. Graham became her legal guardian and later formally adopted her so she could receive his Air Force benefits. She accepted the appointment Monday in an emotional ceremony, saying, 'This is what Lindsey would have wanted.' Her swearing-in was scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Tuesday. Meanwhile, the United States launched a third consecutive night of strikes against Iran, and Trump reimposed a naval blockade of Iranian ports while announcing a 20 percent fee on commercial ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz, a levy his own administration had previously characterized as illegal when Iran proposed something similar. Trump formally notified Congress in a July 10 letter that military operations resumed on July 7 after a ceasefire collapsed, restarting the 60-day War Powers Act clock. On Thursday, Trump plans a prime-time address to the nation at 9 p.m. Eastern, which a senior adviser described as 'a potpourri' covering Iran, election integrity, and whatever else the president chooses to include. In the Senate, colleagues from both parties are rallying around a Russia sanctions bill that Graham championed, hoping to pass it as a legacy tribute.