The US Senate on Tuesday confirmed Jay Clayton as President Donald Trump’s Director of National Intelligence, installing a permanent leader for the country’s 18 intelligence agencies amid ongoing political tensions.
Senators voted 51-47 along party lines, with all Democrats opposing the nomination.President Trump quickly praised the decision on Truth Social, writing: “Jay is outstanding in every way, and will do a spectacular job as Director!”
Clayton, a former Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and federal prosecutor who served as US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, replaces acting Director Bill Pulte, a Trump loyalist with no prior intelligence experience.
He also succeeds Tulsi Gabbard, who resigned last month.The confirmation comes as concerns grow over the politicisation of intelligence agencies.
Democrats initially viewed Clayton as a more conventional choice than Pulte but turned against him after his confirmation hearing, where he repeatedly avoided directly affirming that Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential election.
He only stated that Biden had been “certified” as the winner and described himself as “not an election denier.”
Senate Intelligence Committee Vice Chairman Mark Warner (D) expressed “serious reservations” about Clayton’s willingness to resist political pressure, while Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called his hearing performance “abysmal.”
Republicans, however, defended Clayton’s qualifications, citing his experience combating financial crime and handling national security matters.
The new intelligence chief inherits an agency facing significant staff reductions with Pulte overseeing cuts of about 30% and will play a key role in sensitive issues such as the renewal of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.
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