Jay Clayton, US President Donald Trump’s nominee for the nation’s top intelligence official, avoided directly stating that Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential election during his Senate confirmation hearing on July 16, 2026. When questioned, Clayton said only that Biden had been “certified” as president and added, “I am not an election denier.”

Clayton also evaded directly acknowledging that Trump lost the 2020 election, maintaining a neutral stance on the outcome amid ongoing political sensitivities.

This confirmation hearing highlighted the continuing divisions surrounding the 2020 election results within US political circles.

Sources