Jay Clayton sworn in as US spy chief
Former prosecutor takes helm of 18 intelligence agencies, succeeding Tulsi Gabbard
Jay Clayton was sworn in on Monday as the US director of national intelligence after a contentious Senate confirmation hearing in which he refused to directly acknowledge that President Donald Trump lost the 2020 presidential election.
He takes on a role that was vacated in June when Tulsi Gabbard stepped down after a tenure marked by clashes with congressional Democrats, who accused her of advancing Trump’s political agenda and promoting debunked election claims.
“The safety and security of the American people will be our North Star, and we will work to make sure the American people have complete confidence in the IC (Intelligence Community) through proper oversight, transparency, and accountability,” Clayton said in a statement released by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
“This includes ensuring the vital work of our IC is never weaponised for political motives,” Clayton added, using a term embraced by the Republican president and his allies in making unproven claims that previous administrations abused federal power to target him.