Trevor Clarke MLA (born 28 July 1967) is a Unionist politician from Northern Ireland representing the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP). Political career Clarke was first elected in 2007 to the Northern Ireland Assembly as a Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) member for South Antrim. Clarke lost his seat at the 2017 Assembly election, but was later co-opted by the DUP after Paul Girvan was elected in the 2017 general election to represent South Antrim in the House of Commons. Controversies Speaking in the Assembly in November 2016, he confessed to not knowing that heterosexual individuals could contract HIV, which was criticised by Elton John. In 2020, Clarke apologised for liking a social media post suggesting that the COVID-19 pandemic was "God's punishment" for the legalization of same-sex marriage and abortion. In 2021, Clarke defended meeting with loyalist paramilitaries, stating that "examples like that" showed "leadership". Personal life Clarke is active in the Orange Order. His wife Linda is a DUP councillor. References Links Profile, dup.org.uk; accessed 15 May 2016. Living people Democratic Unionist Party MLAs Northern Ireland MLAs 2007–2011 Northern Ireland MLAs 2011–2016 Northern Ireland MLAs 2016–2017 Councillors in Northern Ireland Presbyterians from Northern Ireland 1967 births Place of birth missing (living people) Northern Ireland MLAs 2017–2022 Northern Ireland MLAs 2022–2027