WASHINGTON, D.C. (WCIV) — South Carolina’s only Democrat representative in Congress claimed during an interview Tuesday that any potential disruptions by members of his party during Donald Trump’s address would “play into the president’s hands.”

“I hope we would not have disruptions,” Rep. James Clyburn said on CNN. “I am a product of the 60s. I believe sit-ins were very effective. I have advocated for us [Democrats] sitting-in tonight. Go, everybody. Show up. Get in your seats. And when he is introduced, sit-in.

“Don’t demonstrate into his hands. But illustrate how displeased we are with this administration. And I believe we can do that by sitting on our hands rather than playing into his hands.”

READ MORE | “Trump to address Congress for first time since returning to White House with big plans.”

Trump is expected to speak before a joint session of Congress on Tuesday at 9 p.m. The address will give an account of his turbulent first weeks in office as a divided nation struggles to keep pace, with some Americans fearing for the country’s future while others cheer him on.

The Associated Press reported that Trump’s speech will center on the “renewal of the American dream.” He was also expected to lay out his achievements since returning to the White House and appeal to Congress to provide more money to finance his aggressive immigration crackdown.

Democratic lawmakers, as they have struggled to curtail an approach to counter Trump’s expansive action taken in the first weeks of his second term, tossed around ideas of disrupting the president’s speech. However, several lawmakers – including Clyburn – have brushed those ideas aside, hoping to, instead, highlight the effects of Trump’s policy on the American people.

READ MORE | “Trump’s speech comes as he wields vast power almost daring lawmakers, courts to stop him.”

One way Democrats are seeking to provide a counter narrative to Trump’s address Tuesday is by inviting fired federal workers as guests, including a disabled veteran from Arizona, a health worker from Maryland and a forestry employee who worked on wildfire prevention in California. They also invited guests who would be harmed by steep federal budget cuts to Medicaid and other programs, the AP reported.

Some Democrats, including Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, declined to attend – opting to meet with constituents.

“The state of the union is that the President is spitting in the face of the law and he is letting an unelected billionaire fire cancer researchers and wreck federal agencies like the Social Security Administration at will,” Murray said in a statement.

Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson invited Trump earlier this month to address Congress. It is not considered a State of the Union address. However, Democrat Rep. Don Beyer from Virginia is reportedly skipping the speech.

The scene of Trump’s speech is a marked contrast to his final State of the Union address in his first term. Five years ago, Trump delivered his annual address just after the Senate acquitted him during his first impeachment trial and before the COVID-19 pandemic.

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EDITORS NOTE: The Associated Press contributed to this report.