President Trump has decided to postpone the nomination of Jay Clayton for the role of Director of National Intelligence. This delay is linked to a strategic push to have James McDonald confirmed as a U.S. attorney, which Trump hopes will pressure Congress into passing his voter ID legislation.
Clayton was originally scheduled to appear at a Capitol Hill hearing on Wednesday. His nomination process had been expedited following the recent expiration of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) last Friday.
Currently serving as the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District, the 59-year-old lawyer was chosen to succeed Tulsi Gabbard, who stepped down from her position as the leader of the U.S. intelligence community in May.
“With regards to the approval of our Great Patriot, Jay Clayton, we are canceling the Senate Hearing concerning the DNI today. We will not proceed until James McDonald is confirmed as U.S. Attorney,” President Trump, now 80, communicated via Truth Social on Wednesday morning.
McDonald has been proposed to take over Clayton’s former position as the Manhattan U.S. Attorney. This influential role holds significant sway over key terrorism cases across the nation.
“I may not be able to get the extraordinary Sullivan & Cromwell Partner, Jamie, approved, and I don’t want to take Jay Clayton away from the great job he is doing until Jamie is in place,” Trump said.
Trump slammed the Democrats for breaking a deal that would have confirmed Clayton and passed FISA.
“The Republicans agreed with Dumocrats to remove very fair, and talented, William Pulte, from serving as Acting DNI in return for getting FISA approved by the Dumocrats,” Trump wrote.
“However, the Republicans moved so fast with the hearings of the Great Jay Clayton, current U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, that Pulte would be gone before the Dumocrats would vote on FISA. Now, the Dumocrats are saying they will vote against FISA — So, the Republicans wound up having fulfilled their commitment, but Dumocrats broke the Deal.”
Senators from both parties had opposed Trump’s pick of Pulte because of his apparent lack of experience in the intelligence field.
Trump announced Wednesday that he is appointing Bill Pulte as the acting Director of National Intelligence despite the bipartisan opposition.
Trump, who is in France to attend the G7 Summit, called for the Senate to confirm James McDonald as Clayton’s successor as Manhattan US Attorney before confirming Clayton.
Trump gave an additional addendum to his demands, saying he wouldn’t sign FISA until the SAVE America Act was attached.
“To add a slight bit of intrigue but, for the Good of the Nation, and the People of our Country, I will not approve FISA without THE SAVE AMERICA ACT going along with it,” he wrote.
The SAVE America Act includes a proof of citizenship requirement to vote and a slew of other conservative wish-list items.
With Post wires