"1 Former Intel Director"
LAUNCH OF THE Office of the Director of National Intelligence
In February 2005, the President nominated John D. Negroponte, ambassador to Iraq, as the first director of national intelligence and U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Michael V. Hayden as the first principal deputy DNI, promoting him to General. On April 21, 2005, in the Oval Office, Amb. Negroponte and Gen. Hayden were sworn in, and the ODNI began operations at 7 a.m. on April 22, 2005.
Previous directors include John M. ("Mike") McConnell (Vice Adm., USN Ret.), Dennis Blair (Adm., USN Ret.) and James R. Clapper (Lt. Gen., USAF Ret.).
Dan Coats is the current director of national intelligence.
https:// www.dni.gov/index.php/who-we-are/history