US Senate confirms Jay Clayton as director of national intelligence

The U.S. Senate has confirmed Jay Clayton as the new director of national intelligence, filling a critical role within the nation's intelligence community. The confirmation vote, held on July 28, 2026, passed 51-47, largely along party lines. Clayton, who previously served as the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York and as Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, was nominated by President Donald Trump.

Clayton's appointment replaces interim DNI Bill Pulte, whose temporary tenure had drawn controversy. During his confirmation hearing, Clayton faced scrutiny for sidestepping questions regarding the outcome of the 2020 presidential election, where he stated that Joe Biden had been "certified" as the winner but did not explicitly say Biden won.

His confirmation comes at a time of heightened national security concerns and following a lapse in Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), a key surveillance law. Clayton's leadership is anticipated to play a role in discussions surrounding the reauthorization of this law.