The Director of National Intelligence (DNI) is a cabinet-level US official who heads the entire Intelligence Community, a position created by the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 following the 9/11 Commission's recommendations to fix major intelligence failures. The DNI oversees all 18 intelligence agencies—including the CIA, NSA, and FBI—and serves as the president's principal advisor, producing the highly classified President's Daily Brief. The role's authority was expanded by executive orders under George W. Bush (2008) and Barack Obama (2012), and it was elevated to a permanent cabinet-level seat during Donald Trump's first presidency. In 2025, Trump's nominee Tulsi Gabbard was confirmed by the Senate on February 12, but she resigned in May 2026 to care for her husband, who was diagnosed with cancer. Jay Clayton, a former SEC Chair, was subsequently nominated and confirmed in July 2026, being sworn in as the new DNI on August 3, 2026.