{"id":2633233,"date":"2026-07-21T16:33:00","date_gmt":"2026-07-21T20:33:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/clayton-inches-closer-to-intelligence-chief-confirmation-vote\/"},"modified":"2026-07-21T16:36:37","modified_gmt":"2026-07-21T20:36:37","slug":"clayton-inches-closer-to-intelligence-chief-confirmation-vote","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/clayton-inches-closer-to-intelligence-chief-confirmation-vote\/","title":{"rendered":"Clayton inches closer to intelligence chief confirmation vote"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">16<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fclayton-inches-closer-to-intelligence-chief-confirmation-vote%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2633233&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Jay Clayton, President donald Trump\u2019s nominee for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-says-saudi-announcement-to-come-monday-official-says-no-new-steps-expected\/\" title=\"Biden Says Saudi Announcement to Come Monday; Official Says No New Steps Expected\">intelligence chief<\/a>, advanced through a senate committee vote with a narrow 9-8 margin, primarily with Republican support, despite opposition from Democrats. Sen. Tom Cotton chaired the Senate Intelligence Committee and indicated that all Democrats likely voted against Clayton. Earlier, Sen. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the committee, expressed opposition due to Clayton\u2019s evasiveness during his confirmation hearing, notably related to the 2020 election and FBI investigations involving Tulsi Gabbard\u2019s presence at an FBI raid. Warner, who has known Clayton for years, was disappointed with his performance but had initially been open to his nomination. Concerns regarding Clayton&#8217;s lack of national security experience and the controversial tenure of Peter Pulte, a Trump-era FBI official with investigations of prominent Democrats, further fueled opposition. Republican efforts to fast-track Clayton&#8217;s confirmation were hindered when Trump blocked his immediate hearing, postponing the vote until after the July 4 recess. Clayton, currently a U.S.attorney and former SEC chairman, previously received bipartisan support for other roles.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/jay-clayton\/\">Jay Clayton<\/a>, President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\">Donald Trump\u2019s<\/a> pick for intelligence chief, cleared a <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >critical committee vote<\/a> on Tuesday as Republicans banded together to send his nomination to the Senate floor.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sen. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/tom-cotton\/\">Tom Cotton<\/a> (R-AR), the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, told reporters that Clayton advanced through his panel in a 9-8 vote, a margin that likely means all Democrats voted against his nomination.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4657580\/jay-clayton-intelligence-chief-confirmation-vote-panel-tom-cotton\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Jay Clayton inches closer to intelligence chief confirmation vote<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/national-security\/4656278\/fbi-director-kash-patel-russia-trip-details-unknown-october\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>FBI Director Kash Patel schedules fall trip to Russia: Report<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/national-security\/4655315\/f16-intercept-unauthorized-aircraft-world-cup-final\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>F-16s intercept multiple unauthorized aircraft in Bedminster and East Rutherford during World Cup final<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Two days earlier, Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA), the top Democrat on the committee, said that he would oppose Clayton, citing his performance in last week\u2019s <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4632343\/senate-intelligence-jay-clayton-hearing-july-pulte\/\">confirmation hearing<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Warner had initially signaled openness to Clayton, but said he was evasive on the 2020 election results, a sore spot for Trump, as well as Tulsi Gabbard\u2019s presence at an FBI raid in Fulton County, Georgia, earlier this year.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Gabbard was Trump\u2019s director of national intelligence until Bill Pulte took over the role on an acting basis in June.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI\u2019ve known Jay for a long time. I like Jay,\u201d Warner <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/news\/mark-warner-vote-against-jay-clayton-dni-trump-pick\/\">said<\/a> on CBS News. \u201cI worked well with him when he was at the SEC [Securities and Exchange Commission]. But I was bitterly disappointed by his performance in front of my committee.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pulte\u2019s tenure has been especially controversial, given his mortgage fraud investigations of prominent Democrats as Trump\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/swalwell-blasts-pulte-doj-referral-over-alleged-mortgage-fraud\/\" title=\"Swalwell blasts Pulte DOJ referral over alleged mortgage fraud\">top housing official<\/a>. He also lacks experience in national security and intelligence.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For that reason, Republicans were initially eager to prevent Pulte from taking over and attempted to fast-track Clayton\u2019s nomination, seeing his appointment as the off-ramp to Democrats\u2019 refusal to renew a key spy program.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4648655\/tillis-shaheen-recommend-mike-rounds-angus-king-senate-nato-observer-group\/\"><strong>SENATE\u2019S NATO GROUP LEADERS FLOAT MIKE ROUNDS AND ANGUS KING AS SUCCESSORS<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That sense of urgency dissipated, however, once Trump blocked Clayton from being quickly confirmed. Last month, the president abruptly <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4611566\/trump-jay-clayton-hearing-fisa-canceling\/\">announced the cancellation<\/a> of Clayton\u2019s Intelligence Committee hearing, leaving Republicans to punt the vote until after the July 4 recess.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Clayton currently serves as U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York and led the Securities and Exchange Commission in Trump\u2019s first term, at the time receiving bipartisan support for his confirmation as chairman.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-25\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Clayton advances in Senate Intelligence Committee vote, 9-8<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4336,"featured_media":2633234,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/AP26196594735235-e1784660401330.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[82989,16629,5045,80159,5894],"class_list":["post-2633233","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-clayton","tag-confirmation","tag-government","tag-intelligence-chief","tag-politics"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/AP26196594735235-e1784660401330.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2633233","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4336"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2633233"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2633233\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2633237,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2633233\/revisions\/2633237"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2633234"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2633233"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2633233"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2633233"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}