Mark Warner, vice chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, announced on Sunday, July 19, 2026, that he will not vote to confirm Jay Clayton, the current U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, as director of national intelligence (DNI). Warner cited Clayton's inability to clearly state who won the 2020 presidential election during his committee hearing as a key reason for his opposition. Warner told ABC News' "This Week" co-anchor Jonathan Karl, "I've known Jay for a long time. I like him, but after his performance before my committee, his inability to answer the question about who won the 2020 election ... I am not going to vote for him."

Clayton, during his Senate Intelligence Committee hearing last week, declined to explicitly name former President Joe Biden as the winner of the 2020 election, stating only that Biden was "certified" as the winner. Warner's statement followed intense questioning from Democrats on the committee.

President Donald Trump recently delivered a primetime address accusing foreign countries, specifically China, of attempting to interfere in U.S. elections starting in 2020, an accusation China has denied. Senators from both parties on the Intelligence Committee, including Warner, have stated that newly released documents mostly reflect previously known information about election interference attempts and show no evidence that the 2020 election was stolen.

As Trump continues to claim election fraud and push for the SAVE America Act—a voting bill requiring photo ID and proof of citizenship to register and vote—Warner expressed support for a uniform photo ID requirement but criticized the SAVE America Act as going too far.

Despite Warner's opposition, he acknowledged that with Republicans controlling the Senate, Clayton is expected to be confirmed as DNI. Warner expressed hope that the eventual DNI would be someone he has known and worked with.

Sources