On Monday, former President Donald Trump utilized his platform on Truth Social to attack Dr. Annie Andrews, the Democratic candidate challenging incumbent Senator Lindsey Graham for his South Carolina seat. In his post, Trump referred to Andrews using an anti-transgender slur. The remarks were made in the context of a tightening political race, as Trump also invoked the memory of Senator Graham’s late brother to bolster his support for the incumbent.

The Hill reports that the use of this language marks a significant escalation in the rhetoric surrounding the South Carolina contest. While the focus of the post was to disparage Andrews, the timing of the statement coincides with polling data suggesting a more competitive race than previously anticipated by some observers. The article notes that Trump’s post was directed at his base, framing the election as a choice between his preferred candidate and the Democratic challenger. There is currently no public response from the Andrews campaign regarding the specific language used by the former president, nor has there been a formal statement from Senator Graham’s office addressing the nature of Trump’s endorsement style in this instance.