James E. Clyburn, U.S. Congressman representing South Carolina’s 6th district since 1993, posted a series of statements on his social media accounts in August 2025 criticizing actions and policies linked to former President Donald Trump.
On August 12, Clyburn cited a recent Congressional Budget Office report, stating: “Breaking: A new nonpartisan CBO report says Trump’s massive tax and spending bill will cut income for the poorest Americans and boost it for the rich. Study after study has shown the same thing. It’s clear Trump’s bill is a disaster for everyday people.”
Later that day, he commented on political strategies attributed to Trump, writing: “I’ve been studying racist, autocratic movements in America since my childhood. So I’m not surprised by what Trump’s trying to replicate now in Texas and with DC’s police force. Lock in power by manipulating the maps and impose it through force—that’s the autocrat’s playbook.”
On August 13, Clyburn addressed reports regarding changes to museum exhibits under Trump’s direction: “Trump is ordering the Smithsonian to strip ‘divisive narratives’ from exhibits. We know what that means: gloss over painful parts of our past to highlight the ‘good’ ones. We should recognize all of America’s history—including our faults—not ignore them.”
Jim Clyburn has been an influential figure in Congress for more than three decades after replacing Robin Tallon in 1993. He was born in Sumter, South Carolina in 1940 and currently resides in Columbia at age 82. Clyburn earned his BA from South Carolina State University in 1962.
