US Senate confirms Jay Clayton as Director of National Intelligence; Trump hails appointment

WASHINGTON: The US Senate on Tuesday (local time) confirmed Jay Clayton as the next Director of National Intelligence (DNI) in a 51-47 party-line vote, with President Donald Trump and senior Republican leaders welcoming his appointment while Democrats questioned his qualifications for the role.

According to The Hill, Clayton, who currently serves as a US attorney and previously chaired the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) during Trump’s first administration, will oversee coordination among the nation’s 18 intelligence agencies and prepare the President’s Daily Brief.

Following the confirmation, Trump congratulated Clayton in a post on Truth Social. “Congratulations to the Great Jay Clayton on his confirmation by the United States Senate, to be the next Director of National Intelligence. Jay is outstanding in every way, and will do a spectacular job as Director!” Trump said.

In a post on X, FBI Director Kash Patel also welcomed the confirmation and said, “Congrats to Jay Clayton on confirmation – outstanding pick from President Trump to lead ODNI.”

Congrats to Jay Clayton on confirmation – outstanding pick from President Trump to lead ODNI https://t.co/gXIA2L042G

— FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) July 29, 2026

Republican lawmakers echoed their support for Clayton’s appointment.

In a post on X, Senator Ted Budd of North Carolina said, “Congratulations to Jay Clayton on his Senate confirmation as Director of National Intelligence. Clayton is well qualified to lead @ODNIgov and strengthen our intelligence efforts. I have no doubt he will do an exceptional job safeguarding this nation from our adversaries.”

Congratulations to Jay Clayton on his Senate confirmation as Director of National Intelligence. Clayton is well qualified to lead @ODNIgov and strengthen our intelligence efforts. I have no doubt he will do an exceptional job safeguarding this nation from our adversaries. https://t.co/X7Qmb1W6Ea

— Senator Ted Budd (@SenTedBuddNC) July 28, 2026

In a post on X, Senator Bill Hagerty of Tennessee said, “Congratulations to my friend Jay Clayton for being confirmed to lead @ODNIgov. Another great pick by @POTUS.”

Congratulations to my friend Jay Clayton for being confirmed to lead @ODNIgov. Another great pick by @POTUS.

— Senator Bill Hagerty (@SenatorHagerty) July 28, 2026

Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas said Clayton brought extensive experience addressing national security threats. In a post on X, he said, “Jay Clayton is a highly qualified nominee with a deep experience combatting a wide range of national security threats. As U.S. attorney, Mr. Clayton has worked hand in glove with our intelligence agencies and counterterrorism personnel to lock up criminals who threaten our national security. I’m pleased that my colleagues voted to confirm Mr. Clayton as Director of National Intelligence and look forward to working with him to keep Americans safe.”

Jay Clayton is a highly qualified nominee with a deep experience combatting a wide range of national security threats. As U.S. attorney, Mr. Clayton has worked hand in glove with our intelligence agencies and counterterrorism personnel to lock up criminals who threaten our… pic.twitter.com/a2A1K0c5ZH

— Tom Cotton (@SenTomCotton) July 28, 2026

In a post on X, Montana Senator Steve Daines also congratulated Clayton, saying, “Congratulations to Jay Clayton, our new Director of National Intelligence! As America faces heightened threats both at home and abroad, it’s critical we have a strong leader at the helm of @ODNIgov & I am confident that Jay will do an excellent job.”

Congratulations to Jay Clayton, our new Director of National Intelligence! As America faces heightened threats both at home and abroad, it’s critical we have a strong leader at the helm of @ODNIgov & I am confident that Jay will do an excellent job. https://t.co/0thMEGJg6O

— Steve Daines (@SteveDaines) July 28, 2026

According to The Hill, Clayton assumes office at a time when the Trump administration is seeking the release of additional classified intelligence related to the 2020 presidential election, an effort that has raised concerns among Democrats.

During his confirmation hearing earlier this month, Clayton rejected the label of election denier, telling lawmakers, “I’m not an election denier.” However, according to The Hill, he repeatedly said former President Joe Biden had been “certified” as the winner of the 2020 election, a formulation that some Democrats argued avoided directly acknowledging Biden’s victory.

Senator Adam Schiff criticised the nomination, arguing that Clayton lacked the national security experience required for the position. “When the position of the DNI was created by Congress after the 9/11 attacks, the law laid out a simple qualification for the position: that the DNI ‘shall have extensive national security expertise.’ Jay Clayton fails that foundational, statutory test,” Schiff said in a statement, according to The Hill.

He added, “Not only does Jay Clayton lack the expertise to lead the Intelligence Community, but he has also shown an unwillingness to speak truth to power – an essential prerequisite for any intelligence professional. If he cannot give Congress an honest answer about who won the 2020 election, how can we trust Clayton to prevent politicisation of our intelligence agencies or provide objective analysis to the President, especially if that analysis conflicts with a false, but preferred narrative of the Commander in Chief?”

According to The Hill, all Senate Republicans backed Clayton’s nomination. Ahead of the confirmation vote, Senate Majority Leader John Thune stressed the importance of filling the post amid growing security challenges. “Amid a heightened threat environment, having a proven leader in this role is especially important,” Thune said on the Senate floor, according to The Hill.

He also expressed hope that Clayton’s confirmation would help advance the stalled reauthorisation of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which expired on June 12. “We will have a permanent director of national intelligence in place shortly. And I hope this will encourage my colleagues to stop blocking the reauthorization of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act,” Thune said.

According to The Hill, Clayton also faced criticism over his office’s handling of subpoenas issued to several New York Times journalists in connection with reporting on the safety of Trump’s Qatari-gifted aircraft.

The Justice Department later agreed to withdraw the subpoenas after a federal judge sharply questioned the government’s legal approach. The Hill also reported that more than 400 former intelligence officials associated with The Steady State had publicly opposed Clayton’s confirmation ahead of the Senate vote. (ANI)