Senate panel advances Jay Clayton as DNI nominee

The Senate Intelligence Committee voted on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, to advance the nomination of Jay Clayton to be the nation's Director of National Intelligence, sending it to the full Senate for a final confirmation vote. The committee's vote was 9-8, with all Democrats opposing the nominee.

Clayton, who currently serves as the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York and previously chaired the Securities and Exchange Commission during President Donald Trump's first term, was nominated to replace former Director Tulsi Gabbard. His nomination advanced after a contentious confirmation hearing last week, where he repeatedly declined to state directly that former President Joe Biden won the 2020 election, saying only that Biden was certified as president.

Committee Chairman Tom Cotton, a Republican from Arkansas, praised Clayton as a highly qualified nominee with deep experience combating national security threats. He expressed frustration last month when the president delayed Clayton's initial hearing, which allowed Trump to appoint Bill Pulte as acting director in June. Pulte, a former federal housing regulator with no known intelligence experience, has been a source...