Trump seeks to slow confirming his pick for spy chief and delay hearing
Summary
President Donald Trump wants to delay the Senate hearing to confirm his nominee, Jay Clayton, as the country’s top intelligence officer. Trump links this delay to his demand that lawmakers pass a new voting law alongside surveillance legislation, which is currently stalled in Congress.Key Facts
- Jay Clayton is nominated to become the Director of National Intelligence (DNI), the top U.S. spy chief.
- Clayton’s confirmation hearing is scheduled for Wednesday before the Senate intelligence committee.
- President Trump wants to delay the hearing until the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) and the SAVE America Act (voting law) are passed together.
- The SAVE America Act would require ID and citizenship proof to vote, a measure opposed by many Democrats.
- Senate committee Chair Tom Cotton says the hearing will go on unless Trump cancels it or withdraws Clayton’s nomination.
- Vice-chair Mark Warner criticized Trump for mixing national security with political issues via social media.
- Bill Pulte, the current acting DNI without a national security background, will remain in charge until Clayton is confirmed and his replacement at the Southern District of New York is approved.
- The DNI oversees 18 intelligence agencies and advises the president on intelligence and national security.
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