James Clapper, Director of National Intelligence Resigns

Director of National Intelligence James Clapper (J. Scott Applewhite/AP Photo)

Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, who wanted out of the role after Obama left office, submitted his resignation Wednesday evening. Director Clapper, was forced to apologize to Congress in a letter in 2013 for giving a “clearly erroneous” answer under oath to a question about whether the government collects data on millions of Americans.

“My response was clearly erroneous – for which I apologize,” he wrote in a letter to then-Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif.

He told NBC News last year that more than 50 years of service was enough. Mr. Clapper, who started as a young intelligence office reporting to his father in Vietnam, said he was counting down the days until he could step down.

His resignation comes as the Trump transition team “methodically” goes about the business of building a new administration. On national security, it has been reported that Gen. Michael Fylnn has been selected as National Security Advisor.

Meanwhile, Mr. Clapper, in testimony to the House Select Intelligence Committee, said submitting the resignation ” felt pretty good.”