US Senate confirms Jay Clayton as permanent national intelligence director

WASHINGTON, United States — WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate confirmed Jay Clayton as the country's permanent Director of National Intelligence in a 51-47 vote that split along party lines. Clayton, who has served as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, replaces Tulsi Gabbard, who resigned from the post. He previously chaired the Securities and Exchange Commission from 2017 to 2020. President Donald Trump praised the confirmation in a post on Truth Social, calling Clayton "outstanding by every measure." Republicans had sought to confirm his nomination in June, but Trump delayed the vote to keep Bill Bolduc in the acting role for several more weeks. The delay drew criticism from senators in both parties. Bolduc said his tenure overseeing the Office of the Director of National Intelligence included staffing cuts of roughly 30 percent. No additional details on Clayton's priorities or the transition timeline were immediately available.