Intelligence on CrossGov.com

ODNI Cut to About Half Its Size as Jay Clayton Becomes the Third Intelligence Chief in a Year

Mon, 05 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence had about 2,000 staff in January 2025. After five rounds of layoffs and reassignments, it has “little more than half” that, according to officials quoted by Federal News Network in July 2026. Senator Tom Cotton, who chairs the Senate Intelligence Committee, has proposed capping it at 650.

ODNI also has its third leader in a year. Jay Clayton, the former chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission, was confirmed as director of national intelligence on 28 July by 51 to 47 and sworn in on 3 August. On 4 October the President named him to lead a new federal AI task force as well.

FISA Section 702 Lapsed in June, but Collection Runs to March 2027 Under Court-Approved Certifications

Sat, 26 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act expired at midnight on 12 June 2026. Congress had extended it twice in short bursts that spring and then failed to agree on a longer renewal. It was the first time the programme’s legal authority had lapsed since it was created in 2008.

The surveillance hasn’t stopped. In March 2026 the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court approved a new set of yearly certifications, which tell the government what categories of foreign intelligence it may collect. Under the statute, collection continues under approved certifications until they expire, on 17 March 2027.