Politics

Sen. Mitch McConnell said Sunday that a fall led to his hospitalization, marking his first public explanation of his condition after weeks of speculation. McConnell, 84, said in a statement that he has undergone a battery of tests as doctors try to determine what led to his fall. The statement came in the hours after Sen. Lindsey Graham’s death had been revealed to the public. LiveNOW’s Austin Westfall is speaking with politics reporter Savannah Behrmann as voters begin to wonder if a new batch of lawmakers are starting to emerge in Washington, D.C. 

We are learning more this Monday as President Donald Trump signs executive orders that work to shrink the size of two national monuments in Utah. According to Deseret News, the move targets a combined 5,094 square miles of land. President Trump’s action will reportedly reduce the size of the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments. U.S. Senators from Utah, Republicans Mike Lee and John Curtis, joined Trump inside the Oval Office for the announcement. 

We are watching this Monday as South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster announced that Sen. Lindsey Graham's sister, Darline Graham Nordone, will finish his term following his death over the weekend. President Donald Trump recently urged McMaster to appoint Nordone to fulfill the rest of Graham’s term. "To Lindsey, I miss you more than I can even put into words," Nordone said, emotion rising in her voice. "But I'm going to do this. I got it." 

South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster has named Darline Graham Nordone as her late brother Lindsey Graham’s temporary replacement in the U.S. Senate.

Retired Marine Intelligence Officer Hal Kempfer is speaking with LiveNOW’s Austin Westfall as Iran declares the Strait of Hormuz closed after firing a warning shot at a vessel it said used an unauthorized route. This also comes as lawmakers in the United States remember the life and legacy of Sen. Lindsey Graham, who died after what his office described as a "brief and sudden" illness. 

We are learning more this Sunday as fellow elected officials are remembering Sen. Lindsey Graham. Sen. Graham's office released a statement announcing that he died following a "brief and sudden" illness. President Donald Trump called Graham a "true American Patriot" and said his administration is already working on arrangements to honor the longtime senator. LiveNOW’s Austin Westfall is speaking with Hans Nichols, a political reporter with Axios, as lawmakers prepare for what comes next after the South Carolina Republican's sudden passing. 

We are learning more this week as Sen. Mitch McConnell says that a fall led to his ongoing hospitalization. The statement released Sunday marks his first public explanation of his condition after weeks of speculation surrounding his health. McConnell, 84, said in a statement that he has undergone a battery of tests as doctors try to determine what led to his fall. He explained the long silence around his condition by saying that "folks of my generation often hesitate to share the vulnerability that comes with growing older." 

LiveNOW’s Anna Marsick is speaking with Dr. Gibbs Knotts, Provost and Professor of Political Science at Coastal Carolina University, as we learn more about the death of Sen. Lindsey Graham. The South Carolina Republican died at the age of 71 following a "brief and sudden" illness. His office said his family "appreciates prayers at this time and asks for privacy during this incredibly difficult period." 

Politico's Aaron Pellish joins LiveNOW's Austin Westfall to discuss what comes next for Maine Democrats after U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner withdrew from the race amid sexual assault allegations. 

LiveNow's Austin Westfall and Associated Press reporter Will Weissert discuss the top stories out of the White House this week, including the latest U.S. strikes against Iran, President Trump's administrating subpoenaing journalists from The New York Times, and construction at the White House.