Kash Patel, Donald Trump’s nominee to run the FBI, repeatedly refused to say that Joe Biden won the 2020 election — following similar refusals by Trump’s nominee to be attorney general, Pam Bondi.
“What’s so hard about saying Biden won the 2020 election?” said Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee convening Patel’s confirmation hearing Thursday.
“President Biden was certified and sworn in. I don’t know how else to say it,” Patel said.
“The other way to say it is, he won,” Welch replied. “I can say Trump won. I didn’t vote for him, but he won … You’re so skillful. You understand what I’m asking. Can you say the words, ‘Joe Biden won?’”
“Joe Biden was the president of the United States,” Patel replied.
Democrats have hammered Trump nominees over their refusal to acknowledge Biden’s victory, saying it demonstrates an implicit unwillingness to adhere to facts and to put loyalty to Trump above telling the truth. It’s one of the few through-lines of the confirmation hearings of Trump’s nominees.
