President Trump nominated Jay Clayton to be Director of National Intelligence, the federal official who oversees the nation's spy agencies, Reuters reported on June 11, 2026. The Senate will hold a confirmation hearing on June 17, 2026, at 2:00 PM in Dirksen G50 to decide whether to approve him.

Clayton's background is different from what intelligence leaders typically have. He was a corporate lawyer for most of his career. From 2017 to 2020, he led the Securities and Exchange Commission, the agency that oversees stock markets and corporations. Trump then appointed him U.S. Attorney for New York's federal prosecutors' office, where he handled cases involving financial crimes and corruption.

The Director of National Intelligence is one of the most powerful jobs in government. Created in 2004, the position oversees 18 federal agencies including the CIA and NSA — essentially a manager of America's entire spy apparatus. The DNI advises the president on intelligence matters and controls the budget for all these agencies, though the position has long clashed with the CIA and Pentagon over who gets final say on intelligence operations.

At his confirmation hearing, Clayton will face questions about what he knows of signals intelligence — how the government listens to phone calls and emails — and how intelligence sources are recruited and managed. Senators will also ask whether he understands the President's Daily Brief, the classified intelligence report given to the president each morning.

The Senate hearing on June 17 will be open to the public, so Americans can see and hear the questions. However, the committee will also meet in a closed session afterward to discuss classified information that cannot be shared publicly.