The U.S. Senate on Monday voted to advance Jay Clayton’s nomination to serve as the director of national intelligence (DNI).
The Senate voted 51–43 to invoke cloture on his nomination, paving the way for a final confirmation vote. His nomination cleared the Senate Intelligence Committee in a 9–8 vote last week.
President Donald Trump nominated Clayton for the role after then-DNI Tulsi Gabbard said in May that she was stepping down to spend time with her husband following his cancer diagnosis.
Clayton is a former head of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and currently serves as the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York.
If confirmed as DNI, he would head the U.S. intelligence community and act as the principal advisor to the president for national security-related intelligence matters.
This story will be updated with additional details.
