The US Senate voted to confirm Jay Clayton as the director of national intelligence on Tuesday, with the tally falling along party lines at 51-47. All Republicans supported his nomination, while all Democrats opposed it.
Background and Role
Clayton, currently the US attorney for the southern district of New York, will replace Bill Pulte, who had been temporarily serving in the role since June. Trump’s first director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, resigned earlier this year. Clayton previously served as the chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission during Trump’s first term.
Controversial Hearing and Statements
During his confirmation hearing on 15 July, Clayton sidestepped several questions about the 2020 election and declined to say that Trump lost it. In a June interview on CNBC, he suggested something was amiss with California’s ballot counting, stating, “We had a problem, a deep problem with voting in America. On the integrity side, we’re doing an absolutely terrible job, and the American people are right to question it.” He also would not say during his hearing whether voter fraud was a problem, despite studies showing it is exceedingly rare.
Subpoenas and Criticism
Clayton’s office issued widely criticized subpoenas to New York Times journalists over reporting on security concerns about Trump’s Air Force One airplane, a gift from Qatar. The subpoenas were abruptly withdrawn during a court hearing when a federal judge pressed an attorney from Clayton’s office about errors and irregularities.
Comparison to Predecessor
While Democrats saw Clayton as a more preferable pick than Pulte, who assisted in executing political retribution, including the criminal prosecution of Letitia James and an effort to remove Lisa Cook from the Federal Reserve board, Pulte also led the office earlier this month when Trump declassified and released intelligence supporting false claims about the 2020 election. Pulte oversaw several rounds of layoffs at the agency.
Opposition Before Vote
Clayton’s contentious hearing cost him bipartisan backing. Before the vote, Senator Ron Wyden, an Oregon Democrat, spoke in opposition, warning that Clayton was unqualified and would act as the president’s “election conspiracy win.”
