{"id":2636894,"date":"2026-07-28T19:22:02","date_gmt":"2026-07-28T23:22:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/jay-clayton-confirmed-as-new-director-of-national-intelligence\/"},"modified":"2026-07-28T19:26:41","modified_gmt":"2026-07-28T23:26:41","slug":"jay-clayton-confirmed-as-new-director-of-national-intelligence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/jay-clayton-confirmed-as-new-director-of-national-intelligence\/","title":{"rendered":"Jay Clayton confirmed as new director of national intelligence"},"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\">18<\/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%2Fjay-clayton-confirmed-as-new-director-of-national-intelligence%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=2636894&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>The Senate confirmed Jay Clayton as President Donald Trump\u2019s director of national intelligence in a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/thursday-afternoon-update-hunter-biden-bombshell-plus-elons-rocket-explodes-and-so-does-buzzfeeds-news-division\/\" title=\"Thursday Afternoon Update: Hunter Biden Bombshell, Plus Elon\u2019s Rocket Explodes And So Does Buzzfeed\u2019s News Division\">narrow party-line vote<\/a> of 51-47, amid ongoing debates over government spy powers.Clayton, who dose not have a customary national security background, was previously the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York and chairman of the SEC. His appointment comes at a time when negotiations to renew Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act are stalled, raising concerns over surveillance practices that can include American citizens\u2019 communications. The prior acting DNI, Bill Pulte, a Trump supporter, has been involved in declassifying documents related to foreign interference in the 2020 election and has executed staff reductions within the intelligence community. Clayton&#8217;s confirmation faced opposition from democrats due to his answers on election integrity issues. Trump has emphasized the need for additional legislation, like the SAVE America Act, to accompany surveillance renewals, but such bills face legislative hurdles.  <\/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\">The <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/senate\/\">Senate<\/a> voted to confirm Jay Clayton as President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\">Donald Trump\u2019s<\/a> director of national intelligence on Tuesday amid a record-long lapse in government spy powers. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Clayton was confirmed by a party line vote of 51-47. As DNI, Clayton will overseen the country\u2019s 18 intelligence agencies. The office was <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4665119\/jay-clayton-advanced-final-confirmation-intelligence-senate-abysmal-schumer\/\">formerly headed<\/a> by Tulsi Gabbard.<\/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\/4666118\/jay-clayton-confirmed-director-national-intelligence\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Jay Clayton confirmed as Trump\u2019s new director of national intelligence<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/defense\/4666800\/iran-missile-attack-us-forces-jordan\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Iran fires missiles at US forces in Jordan, ending brief lull in attacks<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/defense\/4666268\/air-force-readiness-outlook-bleak-undersecretary-matthew-lohmeier\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Air Force undersecretary gives bleak assessment on service\u2019s readiness to defend the homeland<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAmid a heightened threat environment, having a proven leader in this role is especially important. And Jay Clayton fits the mold,\u201d Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) said. \u201cHe\u2019s supervised the prosecution of terrorists and the drafting of the indictment against Nicolas Maduro on drug-trafficking and terrorism charges.\u201d<\/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\">Clayton does not come from a national security background. He previously served as the United States attorney for the Southern District of New York, and was formerly a chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Clayton\u2019s nomination faced opposition from Democrats over his responses to questions regarding election integrity. Clayton <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4649309\/jay-clayton-struggles-election-questions-confirmation-hearing\/\">refused to answer<\/a> during his confirmation hearings who won the 2020 election when pressed by Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA), though he had previously said Joe Biden was certified through the Electoral College. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Clayton\u2019s confirmation comes as negotiations to renew Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act remain stalled. The controversial surveillance authority allows the National Security Agency to collect foreign intelligence by targeting non-Americans overseas without a warrant, but it can also sweep up Americans\u2019 communications with those foreign targets, which the FBI has searched in the past.<\/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\">Trump was himself a victim of <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/2962130\/trump-history-fisa-fight-fbi-spy-powers\/\">FISA spying<\/a> in 2016, when politically<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/opinion\/288150\/bad-fisa-bill-could-lead-to-a-repeat-of-2016s-anti-trump-spying\/\"> motivated senior officials<\/a> used the tool to surveil the president\u2019s successful 2016 White House campaign.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Trump has said that any renewals of the government spying program must be paired with passage of the SAVE America Act, which would require ID to cast a ballot and proof of citizenship to register to vote. The bill has stalled within the 53-47 GOP Senate because of insufficient support among Democrats to break the chamber\u2019s 60-vote filibuster threshold. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Clayton replaces acting DNI Bill Pulte, who has been in the role since mid-June. Pulte, a Trump loyalist, has spent his time as the nation\u2019s spy chief declassifying thousands of documents about alleged foreign interference in the 2020 election. <\/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\">Pulte has also reduced staff at the office of the director of national intelligence through targeted firings, the most recent of which were announced Tuesday. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/national-security\/4665868\/cellphone-companies-fisa-surveillance-data\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/national-security\/4665868\/cellphone-companies-fisa-surveillance-data\/\">CELLPHONE COMPANIES STILL COLLECTING SURVEILLANCE DATA ON FOREIGN THREATS DESPITE FISA LAPSE<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cGood News! In addition to the Historic DECLASSIFICATIONS (Transparency!) by the President, we are, this morning, Executing a 5th and Near Final Round of TERMINATIONS, an approximately 30% Staff Reduction from Weeks Ago, Pulte said in a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/dnipulte\/status\/2082069735118967004?s=46&#038;t=DWvFZKhHrb-IsLTLUkXUsQ\">post on X.<\/a> \u201cThe Intelligence Community must protect the American people, NOT the political whims of the bloated and corrupt elite class.\u201d<\/p>\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<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Senate confirms Jay Clayton as DNI amid spy powers lapse<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4299,"featured_media":2636895,"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\/Jay-Clayton--e1785260173597.webp?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[50435,50341,41281,81308,59783],"class_list":["post-2636894","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-confirmations","tag-government-leadership","tag-intelligence-community","tag-jay-clayton","tag-national-intelligence"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Jay-Clayton--e1785260173597.webp?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2636894","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\/4299"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2636894"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2636894\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2636898,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2636894\/revisions\/2636898"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2636895"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2636894"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2636894"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2636894"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}