Senate confirms Jay Clayton as Trump's next intelligence chief

Core Impact Points

• Jay Clayton, a former US attorney in Manhattan, has been confirmed as the new Director of National Intelligence in a party-line vote.
• Clayton's appointment comes as the Senate tries to break a stalemate on reauthorizing a warrantless spy tool known as Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.
• Clayton declined to say outright that former President Joe Biden won the 2020 election, angering Democrats during his confirmation hearing.
• The Senate is scheduled to be in town through next week and isn't expected to return before Sept. 14, potentially delaying an extension of the spy statute.
• The appointment of Clayton may have implications for the US economy and national security, particularly in the context of the ongoing US-Iran tensions.