The Senate on Tuesday confirmed Jay Clayton as the next director of national intelligence, capping a turbulent process where his nomination was delayed after President Donald Trump abruptly canceled his initial confirmation hearing. Senators voted 51-47 to confirm Clayton, currently the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, along party lines. Republican members of the Senate Intelligence Committee narrowly approved Clayton’s nomination last week, also in a party line vote. Speaking on the Senate floor before the vote, Intelligence Committee Chairman Tom Cotton (R-AR) said Clayton “pledged” to work with the panel to “secure the essential funding the intelligence community needs.” “Now that he has been confirmed, I sincerely hope he proves those concerns unfounded, because the intelligence community deserves steadier leadership than it has received in recent months.”