Trump blames ‘Dumocrats’ and Republicans alike as he cancels Senate hearing on DNI pick Clayton in bitter standoff

Trump blames ‘Dumocrats’ and Republicans alike as he cancels Senate hearing on DNI pick Clayton in bitter standoff Trump’s announcement comes as Republicans had hoped to expedite the confirmation of Clayton to stop the acting director from taking over - Bookmark - CommentsGo to comments President Donald Trump blamed both parties in the Senate as he canceled the confirmation hearings for Jay Clayton to lead the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, killing what should have been an easy confirmation process. Trump made the announcement on Truth Social as he is in France for the G-7 summit, but it came before much of Washington woke up. The Senate Intelligence Committee was slated to begin the confirmation hearings for Clayton on Wednesday. Specifically, the president criticized Republicans for working with Democrats to torpedo his naming Bill Pulte, the head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, to be acting director. Many Republicans balked at the nomination given Pulte’s lack of experience in intelligence and national security while Democrats said that the announcement killed their desire to reauthorize the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which expired last week. “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 said. “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,” he said. “Now, the Dumocrats are saying they will vote against FISA — So, the Republicans wound up having fulfilled their commitment, but Dumocrats broke the Deal.” Clayton, the former chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, currently serves as the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York. But Trump said he did not want to give up Clayton before the Senate confirmed Jamie McDonald, Trump’s nominee to replace Clayton. Trump called for him McDonald to be “blue-slipped,” a process where senators from the nominee’s home state sign off to approve on the nominee. “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,” Trump said. The president also reiterated that he would not sign the FISA reauthorization unless it also included the SAVE America Act, Republicans’ proposed legislation that would require proof of citizenship to register to vote. The announcement virtually guarantees that FISA will not be reauthorized. Trump’s announcement blows up what should have been an easy confirmation. Republicans signaled openness to confirming Clayton. “I think it's a race to make sure that Mr. Pulte does not end up serving in an acting capacity,” Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, told The Independent. Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Comments