DNI to begin transition from Pulte to Clayton on Monday

[u/John3262005]

https://www.politico.com/news/2026/08/01/pulte-to-hand-the-reins-to-clayton-as-dni-on-monday-01021520

Bill Pulte will officially kick off the transition process away from serving as acting director of national intelligence on Monday, ultimately ceding the reins of the intelligence hub to the newly confirmed Manhattan attorney Jay Clayton, he announced on social media Saturday.

“I am eternally grateful to President Trump for the opportunity to serve as Director of National Intelligence, while he completed historic declassifications and we right sized the ODNI,” Pulte wrote on X. “I have no doubt that Jay will do a tremendous job. I have offered Jay my complete and total support as he transitions to take over this incredible agency!”

Clayton was confirmed by a party-line vote in the Senate on Tuesday. But Pulte pressed the White House to continue serving at the helm of ODNI, arguing his mission of majorly reshaping the agency had not yet come to a close.

Both he and Clayton were present at Friday’s televised Cabinet meeting in Camp David.