The US Senate advanced the nomination of Manhattan US Attorney Jay Clayton on Monday. President Donald Trump's selection to head the nation's top intelligence post is set for approval within days, following a heated confirmation hearing.

Clayton would step into the director of national intelligence position vacated in June by Tulsi Gabbard. Her time in office featured disputes with congressional Democrats, who charged her with pushing Trump's political goals and spreading unproven claims about elections.

The procedural vote passed 51-43 along party lines. Trump's Republican supporters backed the nominee while Democrats opposed the move.

The DNI role was established after the September 11, 2001 attacks to oversee the country's 18 intelligence agencies. Many senators want Clayton in place quickly because they dislike the interim director, Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte. Pulte is seen as a Trump loyalist lacking national security background who has reduced staff at the agency.

With a majority secured on the procedural vote in the 100-member Senate, a final confirmation vote is likely later this week. Trump's Republicans hold a 53-47 edge and have shown little inclination to diverge from White House preferences, positioning them to deliver the needed support even without Democratic votes.

Debate Over the Nomination

The Senate Intelligence Committee backed Clayton for the full Senate in a close 9-8 vote last week. Only Republican members supported him after he declined multiple times during the hearing to state directly that Trump lost the 2020 presidential election.

Democrats also pressed Clayton on his choice to issue subpoenas requiring New York Times journalists to appear before a federal grand jury. The action followed reporting on security issues tied to Trump's new Qatari-donated Air Force One aircraft.

A prosecutor noted at a court hearing last week that the Trump administration would drop the subpoenas after a judge raised pointed questions about the probe.

Oregon Senator Ron Wyden, a senior Democrat on the Intelligence Committee, stated that Clayton had shown an inability to tell the truth or act independently from Donald Trump, leading him to vote against the nomination.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, a South Dakota Republican, urged support by describing Clayton as a tested leader. Thune noted that in a time of elevated threats, such experience at the director of national intelligence level is vital.

Clayton's confirmation faced issues before the July 15 hearing. In mid-June, Trump delayed the hearing to pressure Congress into passing changes to US voting rules. Senators including Cotton initially expected the hearing to proceed but later confirmed Clayton would not appear after the order to postpone.