Democratic Sen. Mark Warner, the vice chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, mentioned Sunday that he is not going to vote for Jay Clayton, at present the U.S. lawyer for the Southern District of New York, to be confirmed as director of nationwide intelligence, a key intelligence oversight function.
“I’ve identified Jay for a very long time. I like him, however after his efficiency earlier than my committee, his lack of ability to reply the query about who received the 2020 election … I’m not going to vote for him,” Warner instructed ABC Information’ “This Week” co-anchor Jonathan Karl.
Warner’s assertion comes after Clayton was grilled by Democrats on the Senate Intelligence Committee final week, some repeatedly asking him who received the 2020 presidential election. Clayton refused to say that former President Joe Biden was the winner, saying solely that he was “licensed” because the winner.
Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., seems on ABC Information’ “This Week” on July 19, 2026.
ABC Information
Nonetheless, Warner mentioned he anticipated Clayton to be confirmed.
“I believe Jay Clayton will get confirmed,” Warner mentioned. “And God keen, I hope the man that turns into DNI is the man that I’ve identified and favored and labored with.”
Clayton might be confirmed with out the help of Democrats as Republicans management the Senate.
Warner on Trump’s elections speech
President Donald Trump final week delivered a primetime address to the nation wherein he accused some international international locations, particularly China, of trying to intrude in American elections beginning in 2020, an accusation which China denied.
Within the speech, Trump introduced the declassification of a number of paperwork he claimed confirmed that China had pulled off “the biggest compromise of election knowledge in historical past” by buying info on American voters. Voter file knowledge is broadly out there, both without spending a dime or for buy, from any state within the U.S.
Senators on the Intelligence Committee from each events, together with Warner, have mentioned that the newly launched paperwork mirrored principally beforehand identified details about makes an attempt to intrude within the 2020 election and confirmed no proof that the election was stolen, as Trump has ceaselessly mentioned.
Warner mentioned Sunday that whereas China is a priority, he sees Russia and Iran as greater threats.
“Russia was superb at influencing our elections. They’ve been far and away probably the most outstanding participant, normally on behalf of Trump. Iran has been very energetic as nicely, normally towards Trump,” Warner mentioned. “China’s bought the capabilities, however they have been … much less about which candidate and extra like, can we simply make Individuals lose confidence?”
President Donald Trump addresses the nation from the East Room of the White Home in Washington, July 16, 2026.
Saul Loeb/AFP through Getty Pictures
A Russian spokesman mentioned Friday that it has by no means interfered in U.S. elections.
As Trump continues to falsely declare that the 2020 election was stolen and that U.S. elections aren’t safe, the president once more pushed for the passage of the SAVE America Act, a sweeping voting invoice that may require photograph ID to vote and proof of citizenship, similar to a passport or a start certificates, to register to vote.
Democrats are united towards the invoice, which doesn’t at present have sufficient help within the Senate to turn into regulation. However requested Sunday if he would help a narrower requirement to require photograph ID in U.S. elections, Warner mentioned he would help a uniform ID requirement, however that the SAVE America Act goes too far.
“If you are going to have a set of IDs, let’s have it throughout the board so long as it comes from some official level,” Warner mentioned. “However this isn’t about voter ID. The SAVE Act is about voter disenfranchisement.”
