SOUTH CAROLINA — President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social referring to Democratic Senate candidate Annie Andrews as "trannie" three times. The post targeted Andrews in her race against Republican appointee Darline Graham for the U.S. Senate seat in South Carolina.

"Annie 'Trannie' Andrews is running against our wonderful Darline Graham for the Senate in South Carolina," Trump wrote. He characterized Andrews as unfit to represent the state's values and urged voters to reject her candidacy. He concluded the message by stating that Andrews was not suitable for the state.

"Trannie is not for South Carolina, and South Carolina must show, in the upcoming Election, that it is not for her," he wrote. The President also praised Graham by quoting her late brother, Senator Lindsey Graham.

Darline Graham was appointed to the U.S. Senate seat following the death of her brother, Senator Lindsey Graham, in July 2026. Lindsey Graham died on July 11, 2026. Graham won the Republican primary runoff against Rep. Ralph Norman by nearly 5 percentage points after Trump's MAGA Inc. PAC spent more than $800,000 to support her in the contest.

Annie Andrews is a pediatrician who is not transgender. She has stated she does not support gender-affirming surgery for minors and does not support transgender athletes participating in women's sports. In a TV ad, Andrews said: "So I want you to hear me loud and clear: I don’t support biological men playing women’s sports and I don’t support — and haven’t ever performed — gender surgery for minors." Andrews voiced opposition in 2022 to South Carolina’s law banning transgender athletes from playing on girls’ and women’s sports teams at public schools, calling the measure "shameful" in an X post where she also promised to always support trans youth. According to the Cook Political Report, Trump’s MAGA Inc. PAC spent over $800,000 to support Darline Graham in the GOP primary runoff.

Andrews stated: "If you care more about your bills than the politics in Washington, this campaign is for you." Graham campaign spokesperson T.W. Arrighi said in a statement: "Annie Andrews is bad medicine for South Carolina. She is openly lying about her record."

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer condemned Trump’s words, calling his attacks on Andrews "despicable." "Annie Andrews is a mom and pediatrician who’s always put her community first — and she’s exactly who South Carolina needs representing them in the Senate," Schumer said on X.

The Cook Political Report shifted its rating of the South Carolina Senate race from "Solid Republican" to "Likely Republican" in September 2026. The RealClearPolitics polling average shows Graham leading Andrews by 2.4 percentage points. The Senate Leadership Fund decided to invest $5 million in the South Carolina Senate contest. Andrews and Graham are scheduled to meet for their first debate on Sunday, October 11, 2026.

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Trump praised Darline Graham in the post, writing: "For years my dear friend Lindsey would say that, 'Darline is the finest, most reliable, and one of the smartest people I have ever known.' He would then always add, 'Also, the most loyal!' Oftentimes I would be upset with Lindsey for saying this, because I thought I had all of those qualities." "Darline is a High Quality person, maybe the Highest, and Annie Trannie is not, in particular, as it pertains to representing the Values of the Great People of South Carolina — She is in favor of Transgender for Everyone, Open Borders, Defunding the Police, High Taxes, a Weak Military, and will absolutely fight to take your guns away — In other words, she is against our Great Second Amendment!" Trump wrote. Annie Andrews stated in a response: "As a mom and a pediatrician, I’m in this race to fight for my patients, my three kids, and South Carolina." Andrews stated: "And I’m going to work with anyone to put South Carolina first, because lowering costs and making life better for families across our state is going to take all of us working together."