US National Intelligence director resigns

US Director of National Intelligence James Clapper said Thursday that he had submitted his resignation, stepping down as President-elect Donald Trump begins to assemble his new administration.

James Clapper has long said he planned to retire at the end of the Obama administration.

Clapper, whose job is to coordinate the work of 17 disparate agencies like the Central Intelligence Agency and the National Security Agency, said resigning “felt pretty good” after six years in the job.

In a Congressional hearing before the House Intelligence Committee on Thursday, he appeared to make clear he was not available to stay on in the job after Trump takes office on January 20.

“I submitted my letter of resignation last night,” the retired air force lieutenant general, 75, said.

“I got 64 days left and I think I will have a hard time with my wife for anything past that,” he said when committee members jokingly asked him to stay on for perhaps four more years.

Clapper has held the job since August 2010. He was previously a lieutenant general in the Air Force and director of the Defense Intelligence Agency.

Two members of the Intelligence Committee, Angus King (I-Maine) and James Lankford (R-Okla.), urged Trump to “nominate an experienced DNI [Director of National Intelligence]” as soon as possible, one who can “build an intelligence community leadership team that will put a high value on collaboration.”

“Most importantly, if selected early, your DNI could advise on candidates for directors of the intelligence agencies he or she will work with most often,” they wrote, according to Politico.