President Donald Trump has asserted that the Strait of Hormuz remains ‘open’ in response to questions posed by a female NBC News reporter.

During a phone-in on Sunday’s Meet the Press, anchor Kristen Welker pressed Trump for clarity on the critical maritime route. This passage has been pivotal in the persistent conflict between the United States and Iran.

Welker addressed Trump, saying, ‘You’ve initiated a new wave of strikes overnight. Iran has claimed that the Strait of Hormuz is closed, yet this morning CENTCOM stated it remains open. Could you clarify the status, Mr. President, and outline your intended response?’

Interrupting Welker, the president emphatically responded, ‘It’s open, and I’m not discussing it further because I wish to honor Lindsey Graham’s memory. As I mentioned earlier, I won’t talk about it.’

Senator Graham, representing South Carolina, passed away unexpectedly on Saturday night at the age of 71.

A 911 call for a ‘cardiac arrest’ was placed from the Republicans’ residence around 8.30pm, but no official cause of death has been confirmed, according to multiple reports. 

The president ordered that American flags be lowered at half-staff at the White House on Sunday morning to honor the late senator and Trump ally. 

Trump also joined CNN’s Jake Tapper on Sunday morning, where he shared a similar reaction when asked about the war. 

‘Iran has declared the Strait of Hormuz closed,’ Tapper said. ‘Is that true, Mr. President?’ 

‘It’s open as far as I’m concerned. Don’t talk about it, talk about the reason you asked me to speak,’ Trump quipped at the journalist. 

Tapper then asked him: ‘Ok, we appreciate your time, sir. Before I let you go, is there any final word that you want the American people to know about Lindsey Graham?’ 

‘No, I think his finest moment was his defense of Brett Kavanaugh, who’s a terrific guy, and was treated very, very unfairly by the Democrats. Very – I’ve never seen anything like it,’ Trump replied, speaking of the US Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. 

‘He was treated so unfairly, and Lindsey, as you remember, had that moment. I think it was the top 10, maybe the top five moments in the history of the senate. It was an incredible display, and he did it from the heart,’ he added. 

Trump’s comment refers to when Graham fiercley defended Kavanaugh against sexual assault allegations during the 2018 Supreme Court confirmation hearings. 

The senator blasted the hearing as the ‘most unethical sham’ he ever witnessed in politics, and said that Kavanaugh had ‘nothing to apologize for’ before urging Republicans to support the judge. 

Despite stating that he didn’t want to talk about the war, Trump gave Welker a bit more information about the current situation with Iran. 

‘It’s open,’ he said in regard to the waterway. ‘We bombed the hell out of them last night. They are very, very evil and sick people. We had meetings with them. 

‘They agreed to a deal yesterday, a perfect deal for us, no nuclear, no this, no that, no nothing, they gave up everything. 

‘And then after that, they left the room, and then within an hour, they launched a drone at a ship. I said, “You people are sick, you’re sick people”. And, so, it’s one of those things,’ he said before pivoting to talk about Graham. 

He recalled Graham being ‘like a member of the family to him,’ and that the two of them had spoken over the phone on Saturday night, just hours before he died. 

Trump also revealed that Graham called him to discuss the passage of the SAVE America Act, which Graham co-sponsored in the US Senate.

‘He actually said he was tired, but he wanted to pass the SAVE America Act, and I said, ‘Well, we’re going to get it done, Lindsey. We’re going to get it done. I’ll see you, like, soon,’ Trump noted on Meet the Press.

The SAVE America Act has been passed by the US House of Representatives three times, but has not been passed by the Senate, where it needs 60 votes due to the filibuster.

The office of Graham, who has represented South Carolina since 2002, announced in the early hours of Sunday that the senator, ‘had passed away from a brief and sudden illness.’ 

Trump had earlier shared a tribute to the late Senator on Truth Social shortly after the announcement was made.

‘Senator Lindsey Graham, one of the greatest people and Senators I have ever known, is dead! He was always working, and was a true American Patriot. Lindsey will be greatly missed!!! DETAILS AND ARRANGEMENTS TO FOLLOW. So sad!,’ Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

Graham was one of Trump’s closest allies in the US Senate, consistently voting to enact the president’s agenda.

The senator was also a staunch supporter of Ukraine and Israel, and he advised the president on foreign policy matters pertaining to Russia and Iran.

In late March 2025, just a little more than a month after Trump took office, the president posted a lengthy endorsement of Graham, referring to the senator as ‘a wonderful friend.’

WASHINGTON — In the aftermath of the Capitol insurrection on January 6, 2021, Senator Lindsey Graham declared he had reached his limit with the leader idolized by the rioters: President Donald Trump.

“Trump and I have been on an incredible journey. It’s heartbreaking for it to conclude like this. Honestly, it devastates me,” a visibly moved Graham expressed when the Senate resumed following the clearing of the rioters. “From my perspective, he’s been an impactful president. But, I have to say, I’m done. There comes a point where enough is enough.”

Yet, that was far from the end.

Senator Graham, who was a significant figure within the Republican party from South Carolina, unexpectedly passed away at age 71 on a Saturday night. He soon acknowledged that his political party’s fate was tightly interwoven with Trump and swiftly returned to defending him. This reconversion showed that what appeared to be an irreversible break was merely another chapter in the complex and turbulent saga of their political alignment.

“Can we advance without President Trump? The answer is no,” Graham conceded in May 2021, barely four months following the violent breach. “I’ve realized that our growth is impossible without his involvement.”

Trump, who called Graham a “true American Patriot” in a social media post Sunday, appeared shocked by the lawmaker’s sudden passing.

SEE ALSO | Lindsey Graham’s death prompts process to fill his Senate seat

A slew of new shows awaits streaming enthusiasts this weekend. Jennifer Garner’s latest series, The Five Star Weekend, is now available on Peacock. Meanwhile, J.K. Simmons’ gripping crime drama, The Westies, makes its debut on MGM+ this Sunday night. And for fans of nostalgic television, a fresh take on Little House on the Prairie has just landed on Netflix.

For those in the mood for cinema, the indie horror hit Obsession is coming to Peacock on Friday, July 17. If reality TV is more your style, you’ll be thrilled to hear that Big Brother is back, promising another season filled with captivating drama!

Adjusting to Big Brother’s unique airing schedule can take a minute. This season kicked off on Thursday, July 9, followed by Big Brother: Unlocked airing on Friday night. Curious when the next episode of Big Brother will be available on CBS and Paramount+?

We’ve got all the details you need to stay up to date.

Is Big Brother on Tonight (July 12)?

Good news! A brand-new episode of Big Brother is slated to air on Sunday, July 12, and can be watched on both CBS and Paramount+ Premium.

What Time Is Big Brother On Tonight?

The next new episode airs from 8:00-9:30 p.m. ET on CBS.

Big Brother 2026 Schedule:

• Big Brother Episode 3: Sunday, July 12 at 8:00 p.m. ET

New episodes will air on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays.

How To Watch Big Brother Live:

If you have a cable login, you can watch the new season of Big Brother live on CBS or the CBS website.

The only way to watch shows airing live without cable is by using a live TV streaming service. Our favorite is DIRECTV, which comes with a five-day free trial before payment begins.

DIRECTV offers a number of flexible subscription options, including Genre Packs, so you can best choose which streaming plans fit your needs and budget. Packs start at $19.99/month.

You can also watch the show live with an active subscription to fuboTV, Hulu + Live TV, Sling TV, or YouTube TV. Fubo TV, YouTube TV, and Hulu + Live TV offer free trials for new subscribers.

When Do New Episodes of Big Brother Premiere on Paramount+?

You can watch Big Brother live on Paramount+ Premium, and the show is available to stream next-day for Paramount+ Essential subscribers.

Paramount+ offers two subscription plans, Essential and Premium. Right now, you can get started with a seven-day free trial on the Premium plan.

The ad-supported Essential plan typically costs $8.99/month, while the ad-free Premium plan (which comes with Showtime titles and live CBS) costs $13.99/month.

How To Watch The Big Brother Live Feeds:

The Big Brother live feeds are now open on Paramount+ Premium and Pluto TV.

Also, per CBS, for the first time, the live feeds will be available on the show’s official YouTube channel for a limited time after every Big Brother episode.

The unexpected passing of US Senator Lindsey Graham was announced on Sunday morning, setting off a significant shift in the race for his Senate seat in South Carolina. Among those considering a run is Nancy Mace.

Nancy Mace, a Congresswoman from South Carolina, had previously ended up last in the GOP primary for Governor back in June, where she managed to secure only 12 percent of the votes.

Despite this, there have been numerous reports circulating on Sunday suggesting that Mace is contemplating a political comeback.

South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster, who is unable to run for another term, will appoint an interim successor to Graham. This appointee must succeed in both a primary and a general election before taking on a full term as a US Senator.

Mace hinted at her possible return to politics by sharing a video clip from The Godfather: Part III, where actor Michael Corleone famously says, “Just when I thought I was out… they pull me back in…” However, her potential return to the political stage hasn’t been warmly welcomed by conservative circles.

President Donald Trump teased that he had someone in mind to succeed Graham when asked about the future of the seat on NBC’s Meet the Press earlier on Sunday, but declined to provide a name out of respect of his former primary foe turned friend, ally, and golf buddy.  

‘I have somebody that I think would be great. But I don’t want to say it now because, you know, it’s too soon with Lindsey,’ Trump told Meet the Press moderator Kirsten Welker.

‘I don’t want to even talk about anybody. But I do have somebody that I think is really good,’ Trump added.

Mace’s former Republican House colleague and convicted fraudster, George Santos, wrote sarcastically on X, ‘Do it! Please I need more s**t posting content.’

Conservative author and American Majority CEO Ned Ryun, son of former Kansas Congressman and Olympic runner Jim Ryun, noted on X that no one was pulling Mace into the race.

‘Rational people might think, I just got DEAD LAST in a 5 way statewide primary a few weeks ago. Maybe the people of SC don’t want me to represent them. Maybe I should hang it up,’ Ryun noted,  before adding that the outgoing representative was ‘apparently preparing herself for another walk of shame.’

Mace’s fellow House GOP colleague Joe Wilson, 78, the most senior Republican in the South Carolina congressional delegation, was another name floated as Graham’s replacement, but he has opted himself out.

Wilson’s political campaign account posted on X on Sunday morning that he had spoken to President Trump, when he let him know that his ‘goal is to remain in the House to keep his two-vote majority for the American people!!!’

Wilson’s adopted son, Alan, is likely to be the state’s next governor after beating current Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette in the GOP runoff last month.

Evette herself could also be floated for the Senate posting, after garnering just over 30 percent of the vote in the runoff election for governor against Alan Wilson.

She was the top vote-getter in the state’s primary but was unable to coalesce support from the rest of her former primary field in the runoff. 

A list of potential Graham successors floated by Politics1 also included Congressman Ralph Norman, who also ran in the GOP gubernatorial primary, as well as former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, who previously served as the state’s governor. 

Mace would bring significant baggage into the Senate race, aside from a poor performance in the June primary. 

She became a major thorn in Trump’s side during her push to release the Epstein files in the US House of Representatives during the last year. 

Mace has also been accused of being a difficult boss and of mistreating her own staff, and she was even filmed in a heated altercation with Charleston airport staff in her home state of South Carolina.

The office of Graham, who had represented South Carolina since 2002, announced in the early hours of Sunday that the senator had, ‘passed away from a brief and sudden illness.’

A 911 call for ‘cardiac arrest’ was placed from Graham’s residence around 8.30pm, but no official cause of death has been confirmed, according to multiple reports.

In a remarkable discovery, archaeologists have uncovered a sculpture from the Roman Empire, believed to be a “guardian spirit,” which lay hidden beneath an ancient military site in the English countryside for 1,600 years.

This well-preserved sandstone figure was recently discovered during an excavation of the barracks at Vindolanda, a site of a former Roman fortress located near Northumberland’s Hadrian’s Wall, as reported by Archaeology News.

Identified as a “Genius,” a protective spirit revered by the Romans, the sculpture was unearthed on June 16, having been shielded from the elements by a flagstone slab for over a millennium and a half. 

The reasons behind its concealment remain a mystery to archaeologists.

Dr. Andrew Birley, director of excavations, expressed the significance of this find to the BBC, stating, “As archaeologists, moments like these are incredibly rare, and we feel privileged to have uncovered and preserved such an important part of the site’s story.”

“It was almost as though Vindolanda itself had reached out to the team and quietly said: ‘We approve of what you are doing,’” Birley said.

Birley initially did not know who or what the sculpture was, but Hadrian’s Wall scholars identified it as a protective spirit called a Genius by the Romans.

The figure is holding in one hand a cornucopia overflowing with food – a symbol of prosperity, the report said.

On the other hand, it holds a dish for offerings, the BBC said.

The sculpture is believed to have been carved locally and is currently under a detailed examination before it can go on public display in the on-site museum in Hexham.

The Vindolanda Charitable Trust believes the mysterious figure could offer insight into the lives and religious beliefs of soldiers stationed at the fortress in the Fourth Century.

Recently released dispatch audio and images provide a sobering glimpse into the night US Senator Lindsey Graham unexpectedly passed away at age 71. The recordings detail the frantic attempts made to save his life.

As revealed by reports from CNN and The Wall Street Journal, emergency services were summoned to Graham’s residence on Saturday evening following a call about a ‘cardiac arrest’ situation.

Responders reached a residence located south of Washington, D.C., shortly before 8:30 p.m. This address, as noted in public records, is associated with Graham. There, the team administered CPR to an individual experiencing cardiac arrest, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Subsequently, officials communicated over the radio that a woman, identified later, was driving from Baltimore and informed dispatchers that the front door to the residence was open.

Contrary to her report, first responders found the door locked upon arrival. By 8:35 p.m., officials radioed in their decision to force entry into the unknown person’s home, according to the media outlet.

Nearly 15 minutes later, EMS reported that they were administering CPR and dispatchers sent a supervisor to assist the crew.

Graham’s name was not mentioned, and the patient in the 911 call was identified as 73 years old. 

Chilling photos obtained by TMZ showed paramedics desperately attempting to save the senator’s life.

Graham is seen on a gurney, being wheeled out of his home, as first responders surrounded him. 

The office of Graham, who has represented South Carolina since 2002, announced in the early hours of Sunday that the senator, ‘had passed away from a brief and sudden illness’ – just two days after his 71st birthday.

In the audio the dispatcher is heard saying EMS is responding to the ‘cardiac arrest’ at Graham’s residence, which was censored.

The emergency call was placed from Graham’s residence around 8.30pm, but no official cause of death has been confirmed.

President Donald Trump shared a tribute to the late Senator on Truth Social shortly after the announcement was made.

‘Senator Lindsey Graham, one of the greatest people and Senators I have ever known, is dead!

‘He was always working, and was a true American Patriot. Lindsey will be greatly missed!!! DETAILS AND ARRANGEMENTS TO FOLLOW. So sad!,’ Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

Graham was one of Trump’s closest allies in the US Senate, consistently voting to enact the president’s agenda.

The commander-in-chief also shared the final conversation he had with the senator, revealing what he claims was the veteran Republican’s last political wish before his unexpected death.

In a Sunday morning interview on NBC’s Meet the Press, Trump revealed that Graham was ‘like a member of the family to him,’ and that the two had spoken over the phone on Saturday night.

Trump also revealed that Graham called him to discuss the passage of the SAVE America Act, which Graham co-sponsored in the US Senate.

‘He actually said he was tired, but he wanted to pass the SAVE America Act, and I said, ‘Well, we’re going to get it done, Lindsey. We’re going to get it done. I’ll see you, like, soon,’ Trump noted on Meet the Press.

The SAVE America Act has been passed by the US House of Representatives three times, but has not been passed by the Senate, where it needs 60 votes due to the filibuster.

In a separate interview with CNN on Sunday morning, Trump revealed to anchor Jake Tapper what he considered to be Graham’s finest moment in the US Senate: his defense of now-Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh during his confirmation process. 

Graham’s death comes just days after he visited Ukraine and met with the country’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, to discuss the ongoing Russian invasion.

His meeting with the leader of Ukraine is understood to be the last public image of him. 

There were no known concerns about his health in the lead-up to his trip to the embattled nation.