达琳・格雷厄姆参议员辩论中坦言：“国家安全不是我的领域”
周二晚间的一场辩论上，共和党临时参议员达琳・格雷厄姆拒绝回答有关台湾与南海的提问，直言国家安全 “不是我的领域”。
这一尴尬场面发生在她与众议员拉尔夫・诺曼的辩论现场。二人将角逐下周南卡罗来纳州联邦参议员特别初选决选。格雷厄姆得到唐纳德・特朗普总统的支持，在其兄长、参议员林赛・格雷厄姆离世后，她正争取正式获得这一席位的完整任期。
主持人、记者格雷塔・范・苏斯特伦向格雷厄姆发问：“台湾和南海是否属于美国的国家安全议题?如果是，原因是什么?”
格雷厄姆请范・苏斯特伦复述问题。主持人照做后，格雷厄姆表示 “我就实话实说”。
“我对国家安全相关事务了解并不充分，但我支持军方，” 她说道，并提及自己的哥哥曾服役于美国空军，父亲曾服役于陆军。
这场辩论由南卡罗来纳州教育电视台与公共广播电台主办，格雷厄姆继续说道：“我并非老练圆滑的政客。国家安全不是我的领域，并非我的专长，但我支持军方。”
格雷厄姆此前就曾表示，就职之后，她会与已故兄长林赛・格雷厄姆有所不同，会将更多精力放在国内议题上。
现年 62 岁的格雷厄姆此前从未担任过民选公职。
短暂的参议员任职期间，作为一名职场母亲，格雷厄姆一直试图塑造和已故兄长不一样的形象，强调自己更关注国内民生议题。但辩论场上这次失言，进一步坐实批评者的说法：她尚不具备胜任参议员六年完整任期的能力。
报道原文表述：台湾是拥有 2300 万人口、实行自治的岛屿。中国共产党政府认为台湾是中国领土的一部分，尽管从未实际管辖该地区，并长期誓言必要时将以武力实现两岸统一，这也迫使美国政界人士在该问题上谨慎开展外交博弈。
范・苏斯特伦随后向诺曼提出同样的问题，诺曼的回答显得更为笃定。
“台湾无疑是盟友，” 他说，并谈及台美之间的贸易关系。他称赞特朗普 “帮助台湾获得自卫能力以对抗中国”。
诺曼虽未在辩论现场直接回应格雷厄姆的发言，但他的支持者很快在社交媒体上对格雷厄姆的表态大加抨击。前南卡罗来纳州州长妮基・黑利便是其中一员，她是诺曼的长期盟友，也曾在 2024 年总统初选中和特朗普同台竞争。
“林赛・格雷厄姆对美国国家安全事务十分通晓，” 黑利在 X 平台发文，“达琳・格雷厄姆却坦言自己不懂。国家安全能力无法靠继承得来，这对联邦参议员至关重要。”
周三，格雷厄姆在竞选活动现场被问及此番言论，有选民质问，选民如何能信任她在参议院处理国家安全相关决策。
“这个问题问得很有道理，我当时已经如实作答。我本身并不是国家安全领域专家，” 格雷厄姆回应。她接着表示南卡罗来纳州选民更关心国内民生，“我走访各地问民众：‘你们担心台湾问题吗?’得到的回答大多是否定。大家更关心菜价、油价，还有不断上涨的医疗开支。”
“国家安全当然十分重要，但我可以学习。我足够聪明，我会去了解相关情况。每个人都有履职的第一天，” 格雷厄姆补充道，还提到特朗普最初踏入政坛时同样是政坛新人。
特朗普总统将于周五在南卡罗来纳州默特尔比奇为格雷厄姆举办造势集会。决选将在下周二举行。
Sen. Darline Graham admits in debate: ‘National security is not my thing’
Interim GOP Sen.Darline Grahamdeclined to answer a question about Taiwan and the South China Sea during a debate Tuesday night, saying national security is “not my thing.”
The awkward moment came during a debate with Rep. Ralph Norman, her opponent in next week’s special primary runoff for Senate in South Carolina. Graham, who has President Donald Trump’s support, is vying for a full term in the seat after the recent death of her brother, Sen.Lindsey Graham.
A moderator, journalist Greta Van Susteren, asked Graham, “Are Taiwan and the South China Sea national security issues for the United States? If so, why?”
Graham asked Van Susteren to repeat the question. She did, and Graham said she was “just going to be honest here.”
“I’m not … that informed on national security, so — but I do support the military,” she said, noting her brother served in the Air Force and her dad in the Army.
“I’m not a polished politician up here,” Graham continued at the debate, hosted by South Carolina ETV and Public Radio. “National security is not my thing, not my area of expertise, but I do support the military.”
Graham has previously said she would be different from her late brother, Sen. Lindsey Graham, in the seat by focusing more on domestic issues.
Graham, 62, has not previously held elected office.
In her short time in the Senate, Graham has sought to differentiate herself from her late brother by suggesting she is more focused on domestic issues as a working mom. But her flub on the debate stage could further fuel critics’ claims that she is not ready for a full six-year term in the Senate.
Taiwan is a democratic, self-governing island of 23 million residents. China’s ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) views Taiwan as part of its territory, despite having never controlled it — and has long vowed to “unify” the island with the Chinese mainland, by force if necessary, forcing US leaders to navigate diplomacy carefully over the issue.
Van Susteren posed the question to Norman, who answered more confidently.
“Taiwan’s a definite ally,” he said, noting the trade relationship between Taiwan and the United States. He applauded Trump for “enabling Taiwan to defend themselves against China.”
While Norman did not address Graham’s answer on the debate stage, his supporters quickly highlighted it on social media. Among them was Nikki Haley, a former South Carolina governor and longtime ally of Norman who ran against Trump in the 2024 primary.
“Lindsey Graham was well informed on the United States’ national security,” Haley wroteon X. “Darline Graham admits she’s not. This is not something you inherit. And it’s critical in the U.S. Senate.”
Graham faced questions about her remarks on the campaign trail Wednesday, with a voter asking how constituents could trust her to make decisions on national security issues in the Senate.
“That’s a fair question, right, but you know I answered it honestly. Because I’m not a national security expert,” she said before suggesting South Carolinians were more concerned with domestic issues. “I’ve walked around this room and asked people, ‘Are y’all concerned about Taiwan?’ You know what they said? No. They’re concerned about the price of groceries, the price of gas, rising health care costs.”
“Is national security important? Absolutely. Can I learn? I’m smart. Yes, I’ll learn. I’ll become informed. Everybody has a first day on the job,” Graham added, before noting that Trump was once a newcomer to politics as well.
The president is set to host a rally for Graham on Friday in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The runoff election is next Tuesday.
