October 1, 2026
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate has confirmed Jay Clayton to become head of the nation’s intelligence agencies, putting a permanent director in place weeks after President Donald Trump sought to delay his nomination.
Clayton, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York and a former Securities and Exchange Commission chairman, was confirmed 51-47 along party lines. Republicans had initially hoped to confirm Clayton in June, but Trump delayed his hearing in order to allow his temporary pick for the job, Bill Pulte, to take over for several weeks after former director Tulsi Gabbard resigned.
Senators from both parties have expressed concerns about Pulte, a former housing regulator who had no intelligence experience.
Pulte has also said he has presided over a downsizing of the national intelligence office, which functions as a coordinating hub for the U.S. government’s intelligence agencies. He boasted on social media that with the latest round of job cuts, the office is carrying out about a 30% staff reduction from weeks ago.
Virginia Sen. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate intelligence committee, said he would oppose Clayton’s nomination but acknowledged that Democrats are “between a rock and a hard place” with Pulte in the job.
Clayton did not mention Pulte in the confirmation hearing. But he emphasized his own government and national security experience, attempting to assuage senators in both parties.
“I saw firsthand how a strong national security apparatus depends on decisive judgment, discipline, integrity, and effective communication and cooperation across different branches of the government,” Clayton said. “If confirmed as Director of National Intelligence, I will commit to upholding these principles every day.”
Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Tom Cotton, R-Ark., who expressed frustration last month when the hearing was delayed, said that Clayton has a reputation for operating with “morality, decency and integrity” in his previous positions.
“Jay Clayton is a highly qualified nominee with a deep experience combating a wide range of national security threats,” Cotton said.
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