The U.S. Senate confirmed Jay Clayton as the next director of national intelligence on Tuesday, hours after the office’s temporary leader announced another round of firings. Joe Biden was certified as the president of the United States,” Clayton said. Clayton also sidestepped questions about former National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard’s visit to a Georgia election office earlier this year during an FBI search related to the 2020 election. ODNI DownsizingClayton’s swearing-in will end the temporary leadership of Bill Pulte, who has wasted no time carrying out the president’s push to downsize the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI). Hours before Clayton’s confirmation, Pulte announced a fifth round of terminations, which he described as a 30% staff reduction compared to “weeks ago.”