The Intelligence Community's New Chief Walks a Thin Line Jay Clayton's appointment as US director of national intelligence has been met with both praise and skepticism, reflecting the contentious Senate confirmation hearing during which he refused to acknowledge the 2020 presidential election outcome.
This silence was telling, given the president's continued promotion of false claims about election integrity.
Clayton succeeds Bill Pulte, a housing regulator with little national security experience, who led the intelligence apparatus for two months after the previous director, Tulsi Gabbard, resigned amid criticism that she had advanced the president's political agenda and promoted debunked election claims.