Senate advances Jay Clayton’s DNI nomination on July 27

The Senate advanced the nomination of Jay Clayton to be the next Director of National Intelligence on Monday, July 27, 2026, setting up a final confirmation vote expected as early as Tuesday. The procedural vote passed largely along party lines, 51-43, reflecting the deep partisan divide over President Donald Trump's nominee to oversee the nation's 18 intelligence agencies.

Clayton, who currently serves as the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York and previously chaired the Securities and Exchange Commission, would fill a vacancy created last month when former Director Tulsi Gabbard stepped down to care for her husband. President Trump subsequently appointed Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte as the interim director, a move that drew sharp criticism from Democrats who questioned his national security qualifications.

The confirmation process has been contentious. During his hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee, Clayton repeatedly declined to state directly that Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential election, saying instead that the election was certified for Biden. This response frustrated Democratic senators, as did scrutiny over subpoenas...