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Clayton grilled on 2020
Jay Clayton, President Donald Trump’s nominee for director of national intelligence, faced tense questions on election security and his commitment to keep the agency free of political interference during a confirmation hearing that was rescheduled after Trump abruptly scuttled his originally scheduled appearance.
“'I'm not an election denier': Clayton, Trump's DNI pick, faces tense questions on 2020 election Clayton was also grilled about the subpoenas he issued to journalists last week”
Clayton repeatedly declined to say whether Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential election, instead telling senators, "Joe Biden was certified as the president of the United States."
Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff pressed Clayton on whether he was being honest, saying, "You refuse to answer a basic question about who won a presidential election."
Clayton also faced questions about his role in subpoenas he issued to New York Times journalists after the outlet reported on security concerns involving Trump’s new Qatari-gifted Air Force One, while ABC News reported that Clayton said the subpoenas were connected to an "ongoing national security investigation."
Subpoenas and press freedom
Democrats on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence pressed Clayton on the subpoenas, with ABC News quoting Clayton saying, "Those subpoenas are in connection with an ongoing national security investigation."
ABC News also reported that Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand said the process "doesn't sound like the proper independent legal process that we would normally expect for issuance of a subpoena."
In the same hearing, Clayton defended his approach to the First Amendment and the role of the press, telling senators he was "happy to talk to you and this committee about our approach to the First Amendment" while describing efforts "to limit to the greatest extent possible, any intrusion into the operation of the free press."
Roll Call reported that Senate Intelligence Chair Tom Cotton said the committee will hold a business meeting next week to vote on advancing the pick to the floor, and that Clayton said he sought to "limit to the greatest extent possible any intrusion into the operation of the free press."
Next steps and political stakes
The hearing came after Trump abruptly ordered Clayton not to appear in June, and Roll Call reported that Clayton was very much in attendance this time as he defended his views about voter fraud and his role in the subpoenas of New York Times reporters.
Roll Call said Senate Intelligence Chair Tom Cotton, R-Ark., stated the committee will hold a business meeting next week to vote on advancing the pick to the floor, and it reported that if confirmed Clayton would replace Bill Pulte, whose temporary appointment had drawn bipartisan alarm over his lack of national security experience.
CNN described the broader stakes for Clayton’s nomination as senators weighed whether he could properly steer critical divisions, noting that Clayton faced tense questions about the winner of the 2020 election and a set of controversial subpoenas Clayton signed for New York Times journalists.
CNN also framed the timeline and pressure around Trump’s agenda, saying Blanche has a razor thin margin of error in his separate confirmation hearing and that Clayton’s nomination is on track despite Democrats’ efforts to keep Pulte’s tenure short.
