Jay Clayton confirmed as Trump intelligence chief

The US Senate confirmed Jay Clayton as President Donald Trump's top intelligence official on Tuesday, approving him in a 51-47 vote to lead the country's intelligence agencies.

All Democrats in the Senate voted against Clayton's appointment. The former securities regulator and federal prosecutor succeeds Tulsi Gabbard, who resigned last month, and takes charge of an 18-agency intelligence community affected by leadership turnover and staff cuts.

Clayton's confirmation came as Trump revived unsupported election fraud claims ahead of the midterm elections.

Earlier this month, Trump used a televised White House address to release declassified intelligence he claimed showed Chinese interference, while again falsely asserting that the 2020 election was stolen.

Clayton takes over from acting director of national intelligence Bill Pulte, a Trump loyalist with no relevant experience whose short tenure alarmed lawmakers in both parties.

Pulte has also served as federal housing regulator. In that role, he referred several of Trump's political opponents for possible prosecution. He also oversaw broad cuts at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

Hours before Clayton's confirmation vote, Pulte said a fifth round of dismissals would bring staff reductions at the intelligence coordinating body to about 30% within weeks.

Democrats had initially viewed Clayton as a more conventional alternative to Pulte, but opposed him after his confirmation hearing. Asked repeatedly whether Democrat Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential election, Clayton would say only that Biden had been “certified” as the winner.

“I'm not an election denier,” Clayton told senators, without directly answering the question.

Senate Intelligence Committee vice chair Mark Warner said Democrats were caught “between a rock and a hard place” because they preferred Clayton to Pulte but were troubled by his answer.

California Democratic Senator Adam Schiff told CNN that Clayton's response suggested he might not stand up to Trump if the president wanted intelligence agencies to justify voter interference in the midterms.

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer called Clayton's hearing performance “abysmal.”

Republicans defended Clayton's record as chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission during Trump's first term and as US attorney for the Southern District of New York.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune said Clayton's experience fighting financial crime and handling national security cases made him a proven leader at a time of heightened threats.

Clayton's confirmation could also help revive negotiations over Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which allows the US government to collect communications involving foreigners abroad without an individual warrant.

Democrats had resisted renewing the authority while Pulte remained acting intelligence chief, citing fears of administration overreach. Any extension is unlikely before September because the House of Representatives has left Washington for its summer recess.