- The Senate Intelligence Committee has advanced Jay Clayton’s nomination to lead the Office of the Director of National Intelligence
- The 9-8 vote clears the way for the full Senate to consider Clayton’s nomination
- Clayton previously led the SEC and is currently the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York
The Senate Intelligence Committee voted 9-8 Tuesday to advance the nomination of Jay Clayton, who was nominated by President Donald Trump to lead the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, clearing the way for consideration by the full Senate, The Hill reported Tuesday.
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Who Is Jay Clayton?
Clayton is the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York and previously served as chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission from 2017 to 2020, overseeing more than 2,300 enforcement actions and serving on several key financial regulatory bodies.
He later chaired Apollo Global Management and returned to Sullivan & Cromwell as an of counsel and senior policy adviser. Earlier in his career, he was a partner at Sullivan & Cromwell, where he co-headed the corporate practice, and he has held teaching and advisory roles at the University of Pennsylvania.
Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Tom Cotton, R-Ark., called Clayton qualified to lead the intelligence community and said he expects to work with him on reforms to ODNI if confirmed.
What Does the Nomination Mean for ODNI?
If confirmed, Clayton would replace Bill Pulte, who has led the office on an acting basis while also heading the Federal Housing Finance Agency. The nomination is also tied to congressional efforts to renew Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which expired June 12. Section 702 permits the government to conduct surveillance of foreigners located abroad.
