Billy Graham’s sister is anti-China, yet her husband’s company relies on the Chinese market

After the sudden death of Republican U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina in July, his sister Darline Graham was appointed by the governor to fill the vacancy; she subsequently ran in the primary with Donald Trump’s endorsement and won in late August. While Lindsey Graham was a foreign policy hawk known for his hardline stance on Beijing—a position Darline pledged to uphold—corporate documents and shipping records reveal that her husband, Larry Nordone, holds executive roles at two companies that rely on Chinese manufacturing.

A Washington Post report on the 10th highlighted comments Darline made in an August interview: “We need to increase manufacturing at home, produce our own energy, secure our supply chains, and stop relying on Communist China to produce goods that the U.S. can produce itself.”

An article in The New Yorker in August identified the 59-year-old Nordone as the Chief Operating Officer of two companies: Cosmox North America and Birchwood Trading. The former is a federally licensed firearms importer selling both lethal and non-lethal weapons, while the latter sells gifts and merchandise related to the agricultural machinery manufacturer John Deere. Darline’s spokesperson, Taylor Reidy, clarified that Nordone actually serves as the Director of Customer Service, adding that both are small businesses where employees wear multiple hats.

William George, research director at the trade data firm ImportGenius, stated that while the exact proportion of Birchwood’s total business reliant on imports is unclear, more than 97% of the shipping containers it has imported since 2013 appear to have originated in China.

Meanwhile, Cosmox North America imports “Gel Blaster” toy guns from a Chinese manufacturer, Zhongzhou Machinery Equipment Manufacturing. Headquartered in Henan Province, China, this manufacturer is Cosmox’s largest trading partner. Its promotional materials and website claimed that its products met “military-grade” production standards and highlighted core areas of expertise—such as standard-issue pistols, modular grenade launchers, and 7.62mm infantry weapons—while describing the company as a “certified defense contractor” with “wartime production capabilities.” Following inquiries from The Washington Post, the company removed this information from its website.

In the personal financial disclosure forms she submitted in August, Darlene listed only Birchwood Trading as a source of her husband’s income; likewise, the financial disclosure form she filed in 2024 while serving in the South Carolina state government made no mention of Cosmox North America.

Instead, these forms attributed her husband’s income to Birchwood Trading. In a statement, Reddy said that Darlene supports holding China accountable on multiple fronts—including regarding unfair trade practices—and will continue to work with President Trump to ensure China plays by the rules.