Director of National Intelligence James Clapper has submitted his letter of resignation.
"(I) submitted my letter of resignation last night, which felt pretty good," he said before a panel of lawmakers at a legislative hearing.
"He signed his letter as required by all appointed administration officials but is finishing out his term," said a spokesperson from the Office of Director National Intelligence. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence announced via Twitter that the resignation will be effective at noon on January 20, 2017.
As Director of National Intelligence, Clapper acts as the principal intelligence advisor to Barack Obama. He oversees 17 intelligence agencies.
Clapper began his career in the military, serving as a rifleman in the Marine Corps. He served two combat tours during the Vietnam War, flying 73 combat support missions over Laos and Cambodia. He served as Director of Intelligence for the war-fighting commands of US Forces Korea, Pacific Command, and Strategic Air Command.
He was director of the Defense Intelligence Agency before retiring and working in the private sector. He returned to government September 2001 to be the first civilian director of the National Imagery and Mapping Agency. He was sworn in as the fourth director of the ODNI in August 2010.
