Trump Delays Push to Confirm New Intelligence Chief

President Donald Trump disrupted plans to quickly confirm a new director of national intelligence (DNI), announcing in an early-morning social media post that he did not want a scheduled hearing for Jay Clayton to proceed, Meredith Lee Hill and Jordain Carney reported for Politico.

Some Senate Republicans reportedly believe Trump is frustrated by GOP resistance to Pulte, who currently leads the Federal Housing Finance Agency and lacks national security experience. (Photo: SEC)

The move could pave the way for close political ally Bill Pulte to assume the acting DNI role on Friday, a scenario that members of both parties had hoped to avoid by confirming Clayton this week.

The decision also casts further doubt on efforts to renew a key surveillance authority known as Section 702.

In a Truth Social post published shortly before 4 a.m., Trump claimed Republicans had "fallen into a trap" by rushing to confirm Clayton, the top federal prosecutor in Manhattan, and thereby preventing Pulte from assuming the position.

Trump argued that doing so would facilitate renewal of the surveillance law.

In addition to reiterating his demand that Republicans attach the SAVE America Act, a GOP-backed elections measure, to any Section 702 extension, Trump said the Senate should first confirm his nominee to replace Clayton as US attorney, James McDonald, before advancing the DNI nomination.

Trump cannot unilaterally cancel a Senate hearing, and Senate Intelligence Committee Chair Tom Cotton said Wednesday there was no change to the schedule.

"Jay Clayton is a pending nominee before the Intelligence Committee," Cotton wrote on X.

"We will proceed with his hearing as scheduled unless the president directs him not to appear or withdraws his nomination."

The development represents another challenge for Senate Majority Leader John Thune, who has faced difficulty balancing Trump's demands with the priorities of his narrow Republican majority.

According to two people granted anonymity to discuss internal deliberations, some Senate Republicans believe Trump is frustrated by GOP resistance to Pulte, who currently leads the Federal Housing Finance Agency and lacks national security experience.