Trump nominates Sheria Clarke for South Carolina federal court

On February 12, 2026, President Donald Trump nominated Sheria Akins Clarke to serve as a U.S. district judge for the District of South Carolina. The nomination filled a vacancy left by Judge Robert Bryan Harwell's senior status and elevated a Greenville lawyer who had worked as a federal prosecutor and congressional staffer. The nomination started the Senate confirmation process that later focused on Clarke's refusal to answer basic questions about the 2020 election and January 6 (Congress.gov; Senate executive calendar; South Carolina Public Radio; SC Daily Gazette; Alliance for Justice).