This file photo taken on September 7, 2016 shows Director of National Intelligence James Clapper at the 2016 Intelligence and National Security Summit in Washington, DC. ( AFP PHOTO / JIM WATSON )

WASHINGTON, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Director of National Intelligence James Clapper announced Thursday that he will be stepping down in January.

Clapper told a hearing in the House of Representatives that he had handed his resignation letter Wednesday evening, and "felt pretty good."

The 75-year-old veteran said he had been planning for some time to retire after the Obama administration ends.

Clapper has served as the U.S. spy chief since 2010 and oversaw the U.S. intelligence community, which includes 16 institutions such as the Central Intelligence Agency and the National Security Agency.