Democratic Senator Says He Will Not Vote to Confirm Jay Clayton as DNI

Democratic Sen. Mark Warner, vice chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said on July 19, 2026, that he will not vote to confirm Jay Clayton as director of national intelligence. Clayton currently serves as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York.

Warner told ABC News that Clayton's inability to state who won the 2020 presidential election during his committee appearance prompted the decision. Clayton said only that former President Joe Biden was "certified" as the winner.

Warner added that he still expects Clayton to be confirmed. Republicans control the Senate, which allows confirmation without Democratic support. The statement followed Clayton's appearance before the Senate Intelligence Committee last week.

Senators from both parties, including Warner, said documents released after President Donald Trump's primetime address showed mostly previously known information about foreign election interference attempts and provided no proof that the 2020 election was stolen.

Trump's July 16 address accused China of acquiring voter data in what he called the largest compromise of election information in history.

Elections than China. Warner also said he would support a uniform photo ID requirement for voting but that the SAVE America Act goes too far. The bill would require photo ID to vote and proof of citizenship such as a passport or birth certificate to register.