Senate Intelligence Committee Schedules Jay Clayton DNI Confirmation Hearing

The Senate Intelligence Committee will hold a confirmation hearing for Jay Clayton, President Trump's nominee for director of national intelligence, according to multiple outlets reporting the schedule. Clayton, currently U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York and former Securities and Exchange Commission chair, was nominated after Tulsi Gabbard resigned as DNI last month.

Trump named Bill Pulte, director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, as acting DNI.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune said Clayton and Todd Blanche are "in pretty good shape" ahead of their confirmation hearings. The committee had previously postponed a hearing for Clayton. No new date had been announced at the time of the postponement.

Trump stated on Truth Social that Democrats broke a FISA deal and that Clayton's nomination would not advance until James McDonald is confirmed as his replacement in the Southern District of New York. He also demanded Republicans link the SAVE America Act to any FISA reauthorization.

Democrats refused to back reauthorization of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act after Pulte's appointment, allowing the program to go dark.

Senate Intelligence Committee Chair Tom Cotton said on X that "Jay Clayton is a patriot and highly qualified nominee." The committee has not released a statement on the new hearing date.