Trump says he will cancel Jay Clayton's DNI confirmation hearing, imperiling FISA reauthorization. Cotton says the committee will proceed unless Trump withdraws the nomination.
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President Donald Trump said Wednesday morning he is canceling the confirmation hearing for Jay Clayton to become director of national intelligence, a move that threatens the reauthorization of a critical surveillance authority.
In a Truth Social post hours before the scheduled 2 p.m. ET hearing, Trump said he would not proceed until Jamie McDonald, his pick to replace Clayton as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, is confirmed. Bill Pulte will remain acting DNI in the meantime, Trump wrote.
"Regarding the approval of our Great Patriot, Jay Clayton, we are cancelling the Senate Hearing RE: DNI today, and will not be going forward until Jamie McDonald is approved to be U.S. Attorney," Trump said.
The hearing is the final step before a Senate vote on Clayton, who would replace the ousted Tulsi Gabbard. A delay could stall the renewal of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which expired last week. Democrats have said they will not reauthorize the warrantless surveillance program unless Pulte is removed. Critics view Pulte as a partisan figure with no intelligence background.
Senate Intelligence Committee Chair Tom Cotton, R-Ark., said the committee intends to proceed unless Trump formally withdraws the nomination or tells Clayton not to appear. "Jay Clayton is a pending nominee before the Intelligence Committee. We will proceed with his hearing as scheduled unless the president directs him not to appear or withdraws his nomination," Cotton wrote on X.
Trump also tied the confirmation fight to the SAVE Act, a voter-ID bill Democrats have opposed. He accused Democrats of reneging on a deal to support FISA reauthorization in exchange for Pulte's removal. Democrats have denied any such deal.
It remains unclear whether Trump's post will actually stop the hearing. Cotton's statement suggests the committee is prepared to hold it. Clayton could still appear. The standoff adds another layer of uncertainty to FISA's renewal, which national security officials say is needed to track foreign threats.
This is a developing story.
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