SouthernWorldwide.com – President Donald Trump announced via a Truth Social post early Wednesday morning that a scheduled Senate hearing for Jay Clayton’s nomination as director of national intelligence has been canceled for the day.
The U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence had planned to hold the hearing for Clayton’s nomination on Wednesday afternoon. However, the president stated that the hearing would be postponed.
The postponement is contingent on the confirmation of Jamie McDonald to fill the position of U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York. Trump indicated that the Senate hearing would not proceed until this appointment is finalized.
President Trump linked this decision to an ongoing disagreement concerning the renewal of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). He claimed that Democrats had withdrawn from an agreement to support this surveillance authority.
This withdrawal, according to Trump, occurred after Republicans agreed to move away from Bill Pulte’s role as acting Director of National Intelligence (DNI). Section 702 of FISA permits U.S. intelligence agencies to gather communications from foreign targets located outside the United States.
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Furthermore, the president declared that he would not endorse the renewal of FISA authorities unless Congress also advances the SAVE AMERICA ACT. This act is a voting-security measure that has the backing of the administration.
Clayton’s hearing was scheduled amidst a larger discussion about the future of U.S. intelligence leadership and the reauthorization of critical surveillance powers.
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“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. In the meantime, Bill Pulte will remain as the Acting Director of National Intelligence. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” Trump stated in his Truth Social post.
Trump had previously announced in a post last week that Pulte would take over the acting DNI role on June 19th.
“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. 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,” Trump elaborated in his Wednesday morning post.
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“In addition, the newly nominated U.S. Attorney, Jamie McDonald, must be confirmed and blue slipped. Because of the ridiculous views of Republicans on blue slipping (Dumocrats are often willing to nix it), 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. Therefore, 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. Not complicated, actually, the Republicans fell into a trap,” he concluded.
