US President Donald Trump appoints Jay Clayton as Director of National Intelligence

President Donald Trump announced the nomination of federal prosecutor Jay Clayton as the next director of the U.S. National Intelligence Service. The move follows congressional resistance to Bill Pulte, who had been named acting director after the resignation of former director Tulsi Gabbard, effective June 30. Clayton, currently the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, was praised by Trump on Truth Social, with the president urging the Senate to confirm him “as soon as possible.” The appointment comes amid broader disputes in the House over the extension of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.

The controversy centers on concerns that Pulte, who leads the Federal Housing Finance Agency, lacks the statutory experience required for the intelligence role, prompting opposition from several lawmakers.