He Will Oversee 18 Intelligence Agencies! Jay Clayton Sworn In as U.S. Director of National Intelligence

Jay Clayton was sworn in today as the new U.S. Director of National Intelligence (DNI), following a contentious Senate hearing in which he declined to directly acknowledge that President Donald Trump lost the 2020 presidential election.

Foreign media report that he succeeds Tulsi Gabbard, who resigned in June after a brief tenure during which she repeatedly clashed with Democrats in Congress, who accused her of advancing Trump’s political agenda and promoting debunked allegations of voter fraud.

“The safety and security of the American people will guide us, and we will work to ensure that the American people have full confidence in the Intelligence Community through proper oversight, transparency and accountability. This includes ensuring that the vital work of our Intelligence Community is never exploited for political gain,” he added, using a term adopted by Trump and his allies to suggest that previous administrations had abused their power to target him, Clayton said in a statement issued by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

Meanwhile, last week, Senate Republicans confirmed Clayton’s nomination despite opposition from Democrats, who criticized him for repeatedly refusing to acknowledge that Trump was defeated by Joe Biden in 2020. Clayton, who previously served as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, will now oversee 18 intelligence agencies.