Wire reporting: (AP, via The Philadelphia Inquirer)

President Donald Trump appeared Wednesday with Sen. Darline Graham, R-S.C., at a campaign rally at Clemson University's T. Ed Garrison Arena in Pendleton, South Carolina, as she seeks a full Senate term against Democrat Annie Andrews^2,7,4.

Associated Press dispatches carried by the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Boston Globe and Local 10 said Trump was repeatedly interrupted by protesters early in his remarks^7,8,9. WBTV, citing sister-station WHNS, said hecklers interrupted him six times in the first 10 minutes, that three more people were removed about 20 minutes in, and that punches were thrown during the event⁴.

WBTV reported that Trump asked the crowd who threw the punch and said the person who stood up "got whacked"⁴. AP accounts did not describe punches; they said the president drifted through a long speech that spent relatively little time on South Carolina after an opening focused on Graham and her opponent⁷. CBS News posted a video titled around protesters being removed; the video page did not load in this review⁵. The New York Times and The Guardian headlines also framed the night around clashes or a hit on a protester; those full texts were not used here^1,3.

AP quoted Trump telling the crowd that people respect Graham, that she is smart and incredible, and that she will not let them down⁷. He said Andrews would be among the most extreme people in the country⁷. Graham holds the seat after the death of her brother, Sen. Lindsey Graham, in July. Trump backed her appointment and her Republican primary bid^2,7.

Al Jazeera, citing a Real Clear Politics average, said she led Andrews by about 2.7 percentage points in a state Trump won by 18 points in 2024². AP said more than $34 million has gone into the race and that Republicans have described Andrews as a radical liberal, a label tied to attack lines she rejects, including claims about surgeries for transgender minors^7,8. Andrews, in a fundraising email cited by AP, said Graham asked Trump to campaign because of Democratic momentum⁷.

Andrews, a pediatrician, has criticized Graham's inexperience after a debate remark that she was not that informed on national security^2,7. Over the weekend Graham told AP she would rather keep pressure on Russia after Trump waived most sanctions under a law named for Lindsey Graham^2,7. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, a South Carolinian, spoke before Trump, AP reported⁷.

WYFF 4, covering vendors outside the arena, did not report on the disruptions⁶. WBTV did not name the people in the altercation or say whether anyone was charged⁴. Election Day is Nov. 3.

WYFF 4, citing NORAD, said an F-16 intercepted an aircraft over Clemson at 5:39 p.m. Wednesday, ahead of Trump's speech, and that the plane landed safely at a nearby airfield while being monitored¹². CBS described the intercept as occurring while Trump spoke, just after 5:30 p.m. ET¹¹. Neither named the pilot^11,12.

WYFF, citing the Anderson County Sheriff's Office on Thursday, said two reports were filed from the arena¹². One was an assault: a deputy was called to AnMed Health, and the victim said an unknown person put him in a headlock and punched him in the head, neck and chest, with minor bruising; no arrest or charge was filed in that case¹². The other named Christina Michelle Stokes, 56, charged with trespassing after she refused to leave¹². The sheriff's office told WYFF those were the only reports as of 11 a.m. Thursday and that it did not have a number of people removed¹².

Al Jazeera posted a separate video whose headline framed Trump as commenting on a man who punched a protester; no transcript was retrieved from that page¹⁰.

Sources

1. New York TimesClashes Darken Rally in South Carolina as Trump Seeks to Boost Darline GrahamOct 22, 3:05 PM
2. Al JazeeraTrump heads to South Carolina to boost Senator Darline Graham in raceOct 21, 6:30 PM
3. The Guardian‘Man, I loved that’: Trump cheers South Carolina rally attender who hit protesterOct 21, 11:03 PM
4. WBTVPunches thrown during Trump rally in South Carolina: ‘He got whacked’Oct 22, 8:48 AM
5. (AP, via The Philadelphia Inquirer)Trump brings a last-minute rally boost to Darline Graham in South Carolina's US Senate raceAlso (AP, via The Boston Globe), (AP, via Local 10)Oct 21, 11:48 PM

CBS News · WYFF 4 · Al Jazeera+2 moreHide

1. CBS NewsProtesters removed as Trump rallies behind Darline Graham in South CarolinaOct 22, 9:46 AM
2. WYFF 4The man serving up a Southern delicacy at South Carolina's presidential rallyOct 21, 9:39 PM
3. Al JazeeraTrump praises man who punched protester at rally in South CarolinaOct 22, 6:58 AM
4. CBS NewsFighter jets intercept plane over South Carolina during Trump rallyOct 22, 9:30 AM
5. WYFF 4NORAD intercepts aircraft violating restricted airspace over Clemson ahead of Trump's speechOct 22, 11:07 PM

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