The Senate could reportedly as early as Thursday vote to confirm U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Jay Clayton as director of National Intelligence.

The timeline is being reported by Politico, citing remarks Monday from Senate Majority Leader John Thune.

Trump nominated Clayton to replace outgoing DNI Tulsi Gabbard, who announced her resignation after her husband's cancer diagnosis. Trump has appointed Federal Housing Finance Agency chief Bill Pulte to serve as acting director, which has resulted in bipartisan criticism about his lack of national security experience.=

Thune said Monday that Clayton would "come out" of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence as early as Thursday, meaning members would give a favor recommendation for a final, full-chamber vote, and that the Senate could move to speedily confirm him "if we get consent."

Trump tapped Clayton after the House failed to approve an extension of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which authorizes the warrantless surveillance of foreigners abroad. Earlier this month, GOP Sens. Josh Hawley, of Missouri; John Kennedy, of Louisiana; Mike Lee of Utah; Rand Paul, of Kentucky; Eric Schmitt, of Missouri; Rick Scott, of Florida; and Tommy Tuberville, of Alabama, joined Democrats in voting against advancing the legislation. 

Democrats had sought to use the expiration of the provision as a point of leverage against Pulte, whom they feared would use the position to persecute Trump's political opponents.

Ben Whedon is an editor and reporter for Just the News. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter.