The Senate Intelligence Committee has scheduled a new confirmation hearing for Jay Clayton, nearly a month after his original hearing for director of national intelligence was postponed following intervention from President Donald Trump.
The committee announced Tuesday that it will hold Clayton’s confirmation hearing on July 15. The hearing was initially planned for June 17 but was canceled shortly before it was scheduled to begin after Trump objected to moving forward with the nomination.
Clayton, who currently serves as U.S. attorney for the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, was nominated by Trump to lead the nation’s intelligence community. The president had argued that Clayton’s nomination should be delayed until a replacement for his New York position was confirmed.
Trump specifically pointed to James McDonald, a partner at Sullivan & Cromwell, as the preferred successor. However, the White House had not yet submitted McDonald’s nomination to the Senate at the time of the rescheduled hearing announcement.
The White House did not immediately comment on whether Trump supported the new hearing date or had any remaining objections.
During the previous postponement, Trump criticized Senate Republicans for moving ahead with Clayton’s hearing while expressing frustration over unrelated issues, including the expiration of a key surveillance authority under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act Section 702 and opposition to the proposed Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act.
Despite the political dispute, several Democratic lawmakers have expressed support for Clayton. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, has spoken favorably about his qualifications. Jim Himes, the leading Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, also praised Clayton’s experience and public service record.
Clayton previously served as chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission during Trump’s first administration after being confirmed by the Senate in a 61-37 vote. He was later appointed U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York after his nomination process stalled in the Senate.
The intelligence director position has remained a focus of political debate following the departure of Tulsi Gabbard, who stepped down after citing her husband’s cancer diagnosis. Trump selected Bill Pulte as acting intelligence chief, a choice that drew criticism from some lawmakers because of concerns about his national security experience.
Pulte assumed the acting role on June 19. Some Democrats have linked their support for renewing Section 702 surveillance authority to having Clayton confirmed as permanent director of national intelligence.
The upcoming hearing will determine the next stage of Clayton’s nomination as senators weigh his qualifications, political independence, and approach to overseeing the nation’s intelligence agencies.
