The Senate confirmed U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Jay Clayton to serve as the nation’s next Director of National Intelligence (DNI).
Clayton was confirmed in a 51-47 vote. Senators have expressed hope that Clayton’s confirmation will lead to the reauthorization of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).
President Trump celebrated the vote. “Congratulations to the Great Jay Clayton on his confirmation by the United States Senate, to be the next Director of National Intelligence,” he wrote. “Jay is outstanding in every way, and will do a spectacular job as Director!”
Democratic Virginia Sen. Mark Warner, the ranking member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said that Clayton “now has an opportunity – and the responsibility – to demonstrate that intelligence will never be shaped to fit a political narrative, that analysts will be free to deliver their best independent judgments, and that the extraordinary authorities entrusted to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence will never be used to manufacture doubt about the integrity of our elections or justify interference in their administration.”
Prior to Clayton’s confirmation, Acting DNI Bill Pulte carried out his fifth round of terminations. “Good News! In addition to the Historic DECLASSIFICATIONS (Transparency!) by the President, we are, this morning, Executing a 5th and Near Final Round of TERMINATIONS, an approximately 30% Staff Reduction from Weeks Ago,” Pulte wrote on X.
Clayton previously stirred controversy upon telling senators he acknowledged Biden was certified as president but stopped short of saying he won. At the time, Democrats on the Senate Intelligence Committee called that answer disqualifying.
