Senators From Both Parties Pressured as White House Delays Swearing In Confirmed DNI Director Jay Clayton
Key Takeaways
- •Jay Clayton was confirmed by the Senate as the new Director of National Intelligence on Tuesday, but the White House has not yet sworn him into office.
- •Bill Pulte continues to serve as DNI in an acting capacity while the confirmed replacement remains unable to assume the role.
- •Democratic senators Ron Wyden and Mark Warner described the delay as unprecedented, baffling, and concerning.
- •Republican senators, including James Lankford and Mike Rounds, are pressing for Clayton's immediate swearing in, noting certain decisions can only be made by a Senate-confirmed official.
- •The leadership uncertainty coincides with congressional efforts to reauthorize FISA Section 702, a key surveillance authority governing collection of electronic communications from non-U.S. persons abroad.
A decision by the White House to delay swearing in Jay Clayton as the new Director of National Intelligence is drawing bipartisan concern in the Senate, with Democrats sounding alarms and Republicans urging swift action, The Hill reported Friday.
The Senate confirmed U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton on Tuesday as the new DNI, replacing Bill Pulte, who had been serving in a capacity that President Donald Trump described as temporary. The DNI oversees the 18-agency U.S. Intelligence Community and serves as the president's principal intelligence advisor, a position created under the 2004 intelligence reform law to coordinate national intelligence following the September 11 attacks. However, the White House has not followed the standard protocol of immediately swearing in a newly confirmed official.
Instead, Clayton remains in limbo while Pulte continues functioning as DNI — a situation that has bewildered and frustrated senators on both sides of the aisle. The delay comes at a time when Congress is also wrestling with the reauthorization of key surveillance authorities, making the leadership vacuum at the nation's top intelligence post particularly consequential for lawmakers.
Democrats Express Alarm
Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) called the situation "spectacularly bizarre," noting he had never encountered such a practice in his experience, before conceding, "That's the way it is with these guys."
Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA), the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, characterized the delay as "amazing" before clarifying: "in a horrible way." He described the situation as "baffling."
Republicans Urge Swift Action
Republican senators, while not criticizing Pulte directly, expressed eagerness for Clayton to take over the role.
Sen. James Lankford (R-OK) stated: "I'm ready for Jay to be sworn in. Nothing opposed to Bill on that, but we got a permanent guy. I like having a permanent guy in the position. Once it's confirmed, let's get him in the chair because there's some decisions that can only be made by the actual Senate-confirmed individual."
Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) told The Hill: "Jay Clayton is the right guy for the job. The sooner we can get him in, the better off we are, and the sooner we can get back to getting the additional legislation completed that we need. FISA 702 needs to be put back in place as quickly as possible."
Rounds' reference to FISA Section 702 underscores a parallel legislative stakes: the provision, which authorizes the intelligence community to collect electronic communications of non-U.S. persons located overseas without individualized court orders, has been a recurring subject of congressional reauthorization debates pitting national security priorities against civil liberties concerns.
The White House has not responded to requests for comment regarding the delay or why Pulte remains in the role.