All articles tagged with #jay clayton
James McDonald will assume day-to-day leadership of the Manhattan SDNY starting July 14 while Jay Clayton remains the titleholder and focuses on his confirmation to become director of national intelligence; the transition moves ahead before Senate sign-off after Trump altered the timing of the DNI process.
The Senate Intelligence Committee has scheduled Jay Clayton’s confirmation hearing for July 15 to advance his nomination as director of national intelligence, replacing acting DNI Bill Pulte and paving the way for a three-year extension of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act’s Section 702 authority; Republicans want to confirm Clayton before the August recess, while Democrats refuse to back the reauthorization until Pulte is replaced.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, a top Trump ally, publicly breaks with the president on the nomination of Bill Pulte to lead the DNI, urging that Jay Clayton be appointed instead and warning that the GOP's support for Pulte has frayed; Graham argues reauthorizing the FISA law should not require Pulte, notes Clayton would have bipartisan backing, and highlights Trump’s push to tie FISA to voter-ID legislation as a source of intra-party tension.
Sen. Lindsey Graham urged Trump to move forward with Jay Clayton’s confirmation as director of national intelligence and tied it to reauthorizing the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act; Democrats have signaled they’ll back FISA renewal if Clayton is confirmed, while Republicans seek a quick confirmation amid concerns about interim DNI Bill Pulte and national-security issues in the Iran context.
Manhattan prosecutors welcomed James McDonald—an internal favorite with a track record at SDNY and links to the CFTC and Trump-era efforts—as the new head of the Southern District of New York, hoping his reputation for integrity would steady the office amid concerns it could be led by a political ally or an unqualified appointee; some colleagues praise his credentials while others note his ongoing representation of Trump raises questions about independence.
Trump’s acting Director of National Intelligence Bill Pulte, a loyalist with no national security or intelligence experience, reportedly pressed staff about access to a government jet and even asked about taking the President’s Daily Brief home. Lawmakers on both sides flagged concerns about his qualifications and security clearance, while Trump delayed naming a permanent DNI, tying the move to his broader demands on FISA renewal and the SAVE America Act. Pulte remains acting DNI as the controversy unfolds and Clayton’s confirmation is unsettled.
Bill Pulte, head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, becomes acting director of national intelligence after a political tug-of-war over the post, as Senate confirmation hearings for Jay Clayton are put on hold. Pulte has no intelligence background but is seen as a Trump ally; Democrats have criticized him for pursuing political investigations, and a GAO probe examined whether he improperly accessed opponents’ financial data. With Clayton’s nomination stalled, Pulte will oversee the 18 U.S. spy agencies in an interim capacity.
President Trump named Bill Pulte, FHFA chief, as acting director of national intelligence and moved to delay Jay Clayton’s confirmation amid bipartisan concerns about Pulte’s lack of security experience and possible use of sensitive intelligence; the administration tied Clayton’s full confirmation and a renewal of the FISA Section 702 program to passage of a controversial voter-ID/citizenship bill, provoking opposition from Democrats and unease among some Republicans.
President Trump postponed Jay Clayton’s confirmation to lead the DNI until James McDonald is approved as U.S. attorney, using the delay to pressure Congress to pass a voter ID bill and attach the SAVE America Act to any FISA renewal; Trump also appointed Bill Pulte as acting DNI amid bipartisan opposition and cited a broken deal on FISA.
President Donald Trump upended a carefully negotiated GOP plan to confirm Jay Clayton as director of national intelligence by tying the vote to his voter ID bill, delaying Clayton's confirmation hearing and keeping Bill Pulte in the acting DNI role. The move has left Senate leaders seeking clarity from the White House as Democrats refused to help reauthorize lapsed foreign-surveillance powers, plunging Congress into limbo over the intel leadership and the must-pass national security package.
President Trump blindsides Senate Republicans by delaying Jay Clayton’s nomination to be director of national intelligence and threatening to withhold support for a key surveillance reauthorization unless the SAVE America Act passes, straining relations with Majority Leader John Thune and other GOP members who say his tactics undermine their agenda amid broader fights over Iran, the FISA program, and election-law reform.
Trump canceled the Senate confirmation hearing for Jay Clayton to lead the intelligence community, saying Bill Pulte will remain acting DNI for now, and Sen. Tom Cotton said the president directed Clayton not to appear.
President Trump’s unpredictable moves are fracturing Senate GOP unity, derailing Jay Clayton’s nomination and a key FISA reauthorization while pressing for a partisan elections bill and pushing Republicans to coordinate more tightly amid midterm pressure.
President Trump nominated Jay Clayton, a former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York and former SEC chair, to be Director of National Intelligence. The pick drew broad bipartisan praise from lawmakers across Capitol Hill who highlighted his public‑ and private‑sector experience and national-security credentials, with expectations for swift Senate confirmation and a push to reorganize and lead the intelligence community.
President Donald Trump is delaying Jay Clayton’s bid to head the U.S. intelligence community to pressure Congress to pass a voter ID bill that lacks sufficient support; Bill Pulte will remain acting DNI until Jamie McDonald is confirmed, with the administration tying FISA approvals to the SAVE AMERICA ACT and signaling he won’t proceed without McDonald’s confirmation. The move highlights partisan maneuvering over nominations, blue slips, and intelligence oversight. The live blog also covers related items such as the G7 summit, Iran’s memorandum not final, and Georgia runoff results.