Director of National Intelligence James Clapper announces resignation
Director of National Intelligence James Clapper on Thursday morning announced that he has submitted his letter of resignation and plans to leave at the end of the Obama administration next month.
“I submitted my letter of resignation last night, which felt pretty good,” Clapper told lawmakers at a House Intelligence Committee hearing focused on support that the intelligence community provides to the Defense Department.
“I’ve got 64 days left and I think I’d have a hard time with my wife for anything past that,” he added.
The director of national intelligence coordinates the nation’s intelligence agencies.
The White House has instructed presidential appointees to submit their letters of resignation by early December, including the date they plan to leave office. CBS News’ Mark Knoller notes that Obama appointees will serve until noon on Jan. 20, unless invited to stay longer by Trump.
Clapper, 75, has served as President Obama’s director of national intelligence since August 2010. He previously served during the George W. Bush administration as under secretary of defense for intelligence and director of the national geospatial intelligence agency. Under President George H.W. Bush, Clapper served as director of the Defense Intelligence Agency.
His announcement is not completely unexpected as a number of Obama’s appointees are also expected to resign by Jan. 20 of next year before Donald Trump is inaugurated.