Trump’s Actions to Start 2026—And How I’ll Keep Pushing Back

<div class="elementor elementor-5656">
<div class="elementor-element elementor-element-155ad69 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent">
<div class="e-con-inner">
<div class="elementor-element elementor-element-e4a7b8a elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor">
<div class="elementor-widget-container">
<p>Friends,</p><p><strong>2026 is underway. Unfortunately, thanks to President Trump, we’re off to a rocky start.</strong></p> </div>
</div>
<div class="elementor-element elementor-element-d68438c elementor-widget elementor-widget-image">
<div class="elementor-widget-container">
<img alt="**Alt text:** The U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C., illuminated at dusk, with the Capitol dome centered and the House and Senate wings extending on either side under a clear evening sky." class="attachment-medium_large size-medium_large wp-image-5658" height="427" src="https://clyburn.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/united-states-capitol-building-at-sunset-washing-2026-01-09-07-06-51-utc.jpg" width="640" /> </div>
</div>
<div class="elementor-element elementor-element-26d48ed elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor">
<div class="elementor-widget-container">
<ul><li>On January 1, new monthly premiums for Affordable Care Act Marketplace plans went into effect, sending health care costs soaring for more than <a href="https://www.kff.org/quick-take/aca-insurers-are-raising-premiums-by-an-estimated-26-but-most-enrollees-could-see-sharper-increases-in-what-they-pay/?utm_source=chatgpt.com#:~:text=22%20million%20out%20of%2024%20million%20marketplace%20enrollees%20currently%20receive%20a%20tax%20credit." rel="noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank">20 million Americans.</a></li><li>On January 3, the United States carried out strikes in Venezuela and captured President Nicolás Maduro. While Maduro was an illegitimate dictator who inflicted horrible suffering on Venezuelans, Trump and his administration have yet to explain to the American people how their actions will result in a stable outcome that advances our national interest.</li><li>On January 7, an ICE agent in Minneapolis <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2026/01/10/us/ice-shooting-minneapolis-renee-good" rel="noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank">shot and killed</a> <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1jepdjy256o" rel="noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank">Renee Good</a>, a mother of three, in her car as she began driving away from an ICE operation. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said Good committed <a href="https://x.com/cspan/status/2008972778616102998?s=20" rel="external noopener noreferrer">“an act of domestic terrorism”</a> despite <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/video/us/100000010631041/minneapolis-ice-shooting-video.html" rel="noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank">video evidence</a> showing nothing of the sort.</li><li>On January 11, Trump’s Justice Department launched <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/doj-launches-criminal-investigation-fed-chair-jerome-powell/story?id=129114228" rel="noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank">a bogus criminal investigation</a> into <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KckGHaBLSn4" rel="noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank">Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell</a> after the Federal Reserve declined to cut interest rates as quickly as Trump wanted. The Fed has resisted the President’s demands out of concern that faster rate cuts would drive inflation, raising prices for consumers.</li></ul><p><strong>This comes after a tumultuous 2025, where the Trump administration and Republicans:</strong></p><ul><li>Launched “DOGE” to conduct mass firings of the federal workforce and cut government spending, including major cuts at the <a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/03/12/nx-s1-5325854/trump-education-department-layoffs-civil-rights-student-loans" rel="noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank">Departments of Education</a> and <a href="https://www.medicarerights.org/medicare-watch/2025/03/27/hhs-announces-sweeping-cuts-that-threaten-access-to-critical-services" rel="noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank">Health and Human Services</a>. However, <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/doge-cuts-cost-135-billion-analysis-elon-musk-department-of-government-efficiency" rel="noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank">multiple</a> <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2025/08/12/trump-doge-contract-claims-savings-inflation-00498178" rel="noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank">analyses</a> <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/23/us/politics/doge-musk-trump-analysis.html" rel="noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank">have found</a> that the initiative produced little to no net savings, while <a href="https://www.epi.org/blog/what-is-doge-doing-to-social-security/" rel="noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank">significantly</a> <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us/100-days-doge-lots-chaos-not-so-much-efficiency-2025-04-24/" rel="noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank">weakening</a> <a href="https://www.americanprogress.org/article/doge-takes-a-chainsaw-to-the-services-that-small-businesses-need" rel="noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank">agencies’</a> ability to deliver services and respond to the public.</li><li>Issued sweeping tariffs that have <a href="https://taxfoundation.org/research/all/federal/trump-tariffs-trade-war/" rel="noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank">increased costs</a> on <a href="https://taxfoundation.org/blog/trump-tariffs-raise-prices-consumers/#:~:text=Several%20goods%20have%20experienced%20notably%20large%20price%20increases%2C%20including%20apparel%20(8.99%20percentage%20points)%2C%20coffee%20and%20tea%20(7.5%20percentage%20points)%2C%20cameras%20(7.5%20percentage%20points)%2C%20household%20textiles%20(6.2%20percentage%20points)%2C%20and%20furniture%20(6.5%20percentage%20points).%C2%A0" rel="noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank">everyday goods</a> Americans depend on. <a href="https://taxfoundation.org/blog/trump-tariffs-raise-prices-consumers/" rel="noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank">Study</a> after <a href="https://www.foxbusiness.com/economy/us-businesses-consumers-shoulder-bulk-tariff-cost-burden-goldman-sachs-finds" rel="noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank">study</a> suggests the tariffs are overwhelmingly being paid by Americans, not foreign countries as Trump has claimed.</li><li>Passed Trump’s “big, beautiful bill,” which kicks more than <a href="https://www.cbo.gov/publication/61570" rel="noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank">10 million</a> Americans off their health insurance and cut food assistance for <a href="https://www.cbpp.org/research/food-assistance/many-low-income-people-will-soon-begin-to-lose-food-assistance-under#:~:text=Approximately%204%20million%20people%20in%20a%20typical%20month%20will%20lose%20some%20or%20all%20of%20their%20SNAP%20food%20benefits%20once%20the%20changes%20are%20fully%20implemented%2C%20based%20on%20Congressional%20Budget%20Office%20(CBO)estimates." rel="noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank">4 million</a>, while providing <a href="https://itep.org/top-1-to-receive-1-trillion-tax-cut-from-trump-megabill-over-next-decade/" rel="noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank">$1 trillion in tax cuts</a> for the wealthiest 1% of Americans and increasing the national debt by <a href="https://www.cbo.gov/publication/61570" rel="noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank">$3.4 trillion.</a></li><li>Delayed releasing the Epstein files for months despite mounting demands from victims of Epstein’s abuse. Since Congress voted to force the release of the files in November, Trump’s Department of Justice has released only <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/06/epstein-files-release-justice-department" rel="noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank">1% of the files.</a></li><li>Refused to join Democrats to enact a bill to prevent average premiums from<a href="https://www.kff.org/affordable-care-act/aca-marketplace-premium-payments-would-more-than-double-on-average-next-year-if-enhanced-premium-tax-credits-expire/" rel="noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank"> doubling</a> for <a href="https://www.kff.org/quick-take/aca-insurers-are-raising-premiums-by-an-estimated-26-but-most-enrollees-could-see-sharper-increases-in-what-they-pay/?utm_source=chatgpt.com#:~:text=22%20million%20out%20of%2024%20million%20marketplace%20enrollees%20currently%20receive%20a%20tax%20credit." rel="noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank">more than 20 million Americans</a> enrolled in ACA Marketplace health care plans.</li></ul><p><strong>Trump promised he would lower costs. Instead, many of his policies, most notably his tariffs, are </strong><a href="https://taxfoundation.org/research/all/federal/trump-tariffs-trade-war/" rel="noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>continuing to raise them</strong></a><strong>.</strong></p> </div>
</div>
<div class="elementor-element elementor-element-ef3b28d elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider">
<div class="elementor-widget-container">
<div class="elementor-divider">
<span class="elementor-divider-separator">
</span>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="elementor-element elementor-element-70036d4 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent">
<div class="e-con-inner">
<div class="elementor-element elementor-element-631c1c3 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image">
<div class="elementor-widget-container">
<img alt="**Alt text:** Representative Jim Clyburn speaking into a microphone during a town hall event in Summerton, South Carolina, in April, seated on stage beside a small table with water bottles while gesturing to the audience." class="attachment-full size-full wp-image-5659" height="427" src="https://clyburn.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/DSC_4382.jpg" width="640" /> </div>
</div>
<div class="elementor-element elementor-element-cb805fb elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor">
<div class="elementor-widget-container">
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/live/0R29H6-mYmM?t=589s" rel="noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank">Watch my town hall in Summerton, SC.</a></p> </div>
</div>
<div class="elementor-element elementor-element-2200ec0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading">
<div class="elementor-widget-container">
<h3 class="elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default">Pushing Back</h3> </div>
</div>
<div class="elementor-element elementor-element-995d2ec elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor">
<div class="elementor-widget-container">
<p>In the midst of this chaos, I wanted to hear directly from you about how Trump’s actions are affecting your lives.</p><p>That is why I launched <a href="https://x.com/RepJamesClyburn/status/1913253678787547385/photo/1" rel="external noopener noreferrer">a town hall</a> <a href="https://www.postandcourier.com/politics/jim-clyburn-town-hall-south-carolina/article_e00b8eaa-2361-4433-a589-11790abdadaf.html" rel="noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank">listening tour</a> to hear your concerns, answer your questions, and lay out how my colleagues and I are pushing back against the Trump administration’s reckless, dangerous, and often unlawful actions.</p> </div>
</div>
<div class="elementor-element elementor-element-2f6e199 e-grid e-con-full e-con e-child">
<div class="elementor-element elementor-element-2053bfa elementor-widget elementor-widget-image">
<div class="elementor-widget-container">
<img alt="Congressman Clyburn addressing a women in the audience asking a question." class="attachment-full size-full wp-image-5661" height="427" src="https://clyburn.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/DSC_4353.jpg" width="640" /> </div>
</div>
<div class="elementor-element elementor-element-dce8933 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image">
<div class="elementor-widget-container">
<img alt="Townhall audience watches on as Representative Clyburn speaks." class="attachment-full size-full wp-image-5662" height="427" src="https://clyburn.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/DSC_4375.jpg" width="640" /> </div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="elementor-element elementor-element-ec56f70 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent">
<div class="e-con-inner">
<div class="elementor-element elementor-element-fa01a03 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor">
<div class="elementor-widget-container">
<p>As the minority party in Congress, Democrats generally cannot bring legislation to restrain Trump to the floor without the support of Republican leaders, who control what is considered under regular order.</p><p>In response, in limited cases where a few Republicans have been willing to join us, Democrats have used a procedure called a <a href="https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R45920" rel="noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank">discharge petition</a> to <strong>bypass House Republican leadership and force votes on key legislation by simply securing the support of a majority of House members. </strong></p><ul><li>A petition led by Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) and joined by all Democrats and three Republicans forced the House to consider a bill requiring the Department of Justice to release the Epstein Files. The <a href="https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2025289" rel="noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank">bill passed</a> with near unanimous support.</li><li>A petition led by Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and joined by all Democrats and four Republicans forced a vote on a bill to extend the enhanced Affordable Care Act tax credits for three years, after Republican leaders let them expire at the end of 2025. The <a href="https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/202611" rel="noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank">bill passed</a> last Friday with 17 Republicans joining all Democrats.</li></ul> </div>
</div>
<div class="elementor-element elementor-element-487d351 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image">
<div class="elementor-widget-container">
<img alt="Image of the roll call on the House vote to extend enhanced ACA Tax Credits. All Democrats voted yes while all but 17 Republicans voted no." class="attachment-full size-full wp-image-5663" height="357" src="https://clyburn.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/ACA_roll_call_vote.png" width="640" /> </div>
</div>
<div class="elementor-element elementor-element-87e8ea9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor">
<div class="elementor-widget-container">
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://x.com/RepJamesClyburn/status/2009740658530034027?s=20" rel="external noopener noreferrer">Watch my response to the vote.</a></p> </div>
</div>
<div class="elementor-element elementor-element-bc9a687 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor">
<div class="elementor-widget-container">
<p>Additionally, the Trump administration’s actions are being challenged in court—and a number have already been blocked or overturned. Recently federal judges:</p><ul><li>Ordered Trump to <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/judge-orders-trump-end-california-national-guard-troop-deployment-los-rcna248418" rel="noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank">end California National Guard troop deployment</a> in Los Angeles.</li><li>Required the Trump administration to <a href="https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/5666572-trump-administration-cfpb-funding/" rel="noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank">fund the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau</a>, a federal agency tasked with protecting Americans from financial abuses, after the Trump administration tried to gut its funding.</li><li>Ruled the Trump administration must <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/11/06/snap-trump-food-stamps-shutdown.html" rel="noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank">pay full November SNAP benefits</a> after they <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/10/24/politics/usda-contingency-fund-november-snap" rel="noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank">refused to use a contingency fund</a> to distribute benefits during the October-November government shutdown.</li></ul> </div>
</div>
<div class="elementor-element elementor-element-d069ed0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image">
<div class="elementor-widget-container">
<img alt="" class="attachment-full size-full wp-image-5664" height="344" src="https://clyburn.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/JEC_Approps_HUD_Hearing.png" width="640" /> </div>
</div>
<div class="elementor-element elementor-element-3f0bfc2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor">
<div class="elementor-widget-container">
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://x.com/RepJamesClyburn/status/1932916829107757501" rel="external noopener noreferrer">Watch hearing.</a></p> </div>
</div>
<div class="elementor-element elementor-element-470bce3 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor">
<div class="elementor-widget-container">
<p>While court cases move forward, I am continuing to exercise my oversight authority in Congress through my role as Chair of the Appropriations Committee’s Subcommittee on Transportation and Housing and Urban Development, <a href="https://x.com/RepJamesClyburn/status/1990466490965839985/photo/1" rel="external noopener noreferrer">demanding</a> <a href="https://x.com/RepJamesClyburn/status/1932916829107757501/video/1" rel="external noopener noreferrer">answers</a> from the Trump administration when it fails to carry out its responsibilities to the American people in these areas.</p><p>I have also made it a priority to keep constituents like you informed about what is happening in Washington, <strong>because protecting our democracy requires all of us to stay engaged.</strong></p> </div>
</div>
<div class="elementor-element elementor-element-2202fac elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider">
<div class="elementor-widget-container">
<div class="elementor-divider">
<span class="elementor-divider-separator">
</span>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="elementor-element elementor-element-d1943c9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading">
<div class="elementor-widget-container">
<h3 class="elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default">Fighting for You in 2026</h3> </div>
</div>
<div class="elementor-element elementor-element-d3bd7d5 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor">
<div class="elementor-widget-container">
<p><strong>Here’s the truth: There is no telling what the Trump administration will set their sights on doing in 2026. </strong></p><p>In addition to using the American military and taxpayer money in Venezuela, Trump has openly threatened to take over <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2026/01/09/trump-greenland-military-denmark-nato.html" rel="noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank">Greenland</a>, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cuba-venezuela-maduro-oil-economy-b9ffd24928e34dc7e3fc1fdcb22709a1" rel="noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank">Cuba</a>, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cuba-venezuela-maduro-oil-economy-b9ffd24928e34dc7e3fc1fdcb22709a1" rel="noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank">Panama</a>, and <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/trump-says-new-military-operation-focused-colombia-sounds-good-him-2026-01-05/" rel="noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank">Colombia</a>. He’s also continuing <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2026/01/12/us/minneapolis-immigration-officers-mobilizing-protests" rel="noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank">to deploy</a> his army of masked ICE agents to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/18/us/trump-immigration-raids.html" rel="noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank">cities across the country</a> to terrorize American communities. None of this is helping the American people.</p><p>But here’s what I do know: <strong>I’m going to stay focused on delivering tangible results to you and your neighbors in the 6^th district of South Carolina. </strong></p><p>I am working to ensure that federal funds allocated to South Carolina under the Biden administration are spent as Congress intended, such as the more than <a href="https://clyburn.house.gov/congressman-clyburn-announces-over-551-5-million-in-broadband-funding-for-south-carolina/">$550 million allocated to South Carolina by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law</a> to make high-speed internet accessible and affordable to all.</p><p>And as Congress moves forward with bills to fund the government for the rest of this fiscal year, I’m optimistic I can secure critical investments for our communities.</p><p>Lastly, I’m going to continue speaking up about what the Trump administration is doing, keeping you informed and holding his administration accountable in Congress.</p> </div>
</div>
<div class="elementor-element elementor-element-07b6f16 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider">
<div class="elementor-widget-container">
<div class="elementor-divider">
<span class="elementor-divider-separator">
</span>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="elementor-element elementor-element-b215048 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor">
<div class="elementor-widget-container">
<p>I spent 2025 listening to people all over South Carolina about the issues they are facing: unaffordable rents, skyrocketing health care costs, increasing energy bills, and ballooning car and credit card payments.</p><p>I wish the current administration were focused on issues like these. Instead, Trump is busy <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us/battleships-buildings-trumps-name-is-everywhere-2025-12-31/" rel="noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank">renaming buildings after himself</a> and starting <a href="https://fortune.com/2026/01/08/us-blockade-venezuela-cost-700-million-rising-daily/" rel="noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank">costly conflicts overseas</a> that are not in the interest of the United States.</p><p>He’s focused on himself and his wealthy friends, when he should be focused on you.</p><p>In 2026, I’m going to keep fighting for you.</p><p>Sincerely,</p><p>Jim</p> </div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>