Jay Clayton confirmed as U.S. director of national intelligence
The Senate voted 51-47 to confirm former U.S. attorney Jay Clayton as director of national intelligence, replacing acting DNI Bill Pulte after the president’s initial nominee was rejected.
The U.S. Senate confirmed former Southern District of New York attorney Jay Clayton as the next director of national intelligence (DNI) on Tuesday, voting 51 to 47. Clayton replaces acting DNI Bill Pulte, who had been appointed earlier in June after President Donald Trump’s original nominee was turned down by lawmakers over a lack of intelligence experience.
Clayton, a former securities regulator and federal prosecutor, previously oversaw high-profile cases including a drug-trafficking prosecution involving former Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro. He succeeds Tulsi Gabbard, who left the post last month.
During his confirmation hearing, Clayton was questioned about the 2020 presidential election and responded that the result had been “certified” and that he was not an election denier. Senate Intelligence Committee Vice-Chair Mark Warner said he left the hearing with “serious reservations about whether he would be willing to stand up to political pressure,” adding that he hopes the concerns prove unfounded.
The vote follows concerns about Pulte’s background as a housing regulator and his role in staff reductions at the intelligence community. Clayton’s confirmation may also revive congressional talks on renewing Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which permits the collection of foreign communications without an individual warrant.