Senate Planning Quick Action On Trump’s DNI Nominee

Senate Majority Leader John Thune said Thursday that Republicans will move quickly to confirm President Donald J. Trump’s nominee for director of national intelligence, setting up a high-stakes fight over national security leadership and the future of a key surveillance authority.

“I don’t know what realistic is, but we’re gonna probe the limits of it,” the South Dakota Republican told reporters, according to Roll Call.

Trump announced Thursday afternoon that he plans to nominate Jay Clayton, who currently serves as U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, to lead the nation’s intelligence community.

The Senate Intelligence Committee wasted little time after the announcement. The panel scheduled a confirmation hearing for Wednesday, followed by a committee business meeting on Thursday, Roll Call reported.

Trump also named Bill Pulte to serve as acting director of national intelligence beginning June 19, which is current Director Tulsi Gabbard’s final day in the role.

Gabbard announced last month that she would step down to care for her husband, who has a rare form of bone cancer.

Clayton’s nomination immediately became entangled in the fight over Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, a surveillance authority that national security hawks say is essential for monitoring foreign threats.

Democrats, however, hardened their opposition to extending Section 702, even temporarily, following Trump’s decision to appoint Pulte as acting DNI. As a result, the authority is set to lapse heading into the weekend.

Thune suggested Clayton’s previous Senate confirmation experience could help accelerate the process.

Clayton “has been through the process obviously before,” Thune said.

“So, my assumption is at least that if we can get the nomination and the paperwork here, we can move fairly quickly,” he added.

During Trump’s first term, the Senate confirmed Clayton by a 61-37 vote to serve as chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

His nomination to become U.S. attorney later stalled in the Senate, but Clayton ultimately took the position after being appointed by a federal court, Roll Call added.

Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Tom Cotton praised Trump’s selection and signaled that Republicans intend to act quickly.

“In his service to the people of New York, Mr. Clayton has deep experience combatting a wide range of national security threats,” Cotton wrote on social media. “The Senate Intelligence Committee will quickly process his nomination.”

Trump confirmed Thursday that Pulte would only serve temporarily while Clayton awaits Senate confirmation.

Pulte “will serve for a short run” until Clayton is approved by the Senate, Trump said. “He’s only there for a little while. He’s running it for a short while, when we get a very talented person, Jay Clayton.

Democrats immediately objected to Pulte, arguing that he lacks traditional intelligence and national security experience.

Pulte currently serves as director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency and chairs mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Critics have also pointed to his referrals of several Democrats to the Justice Department over alleged mortgage fraud.

Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said he was “glad to see the president finally come to his senses,” but demanded assurances before the Senate considers a FISA extension.

“Either Director [Tulsi] Gabbard must remain in place, or the administration must designate the Senate-confirmed Principal Deputy DNI as the acting head through any transition,” Warner said, according to Roll Call.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer also attacked Pulte’s temporary appointment.

“He cannot be in the DNI role. Our national security is too important,” Schumer said.

Republicans, meanwhile, argue that Democrats are playing political games with a surveillance tool they say is vital to protecting the country from foreign threats.

“The responsible next step is to have a short-term extension of this legislation, especially as we begin welcoming literally millions of foreigners to this country for the World Cup and for the America 250 celebrations right around the corner,” Cotton said Thursday on the Senate floor.

“If we don’t extend it for at least a few weeks while we continue to work on our differences, the consequences could be severe. The consequences, to be frank, could be fatal,” he added.

A short-term extension failed in the House on Thursday, making it increasingly likely that the statutory authority for the surveillance program will expire.

With the House scheduled to leave for recess next week, the issue is expected to fall back to the Senate when lawmakers return Monday.

For conservatives, the standoff highlights a familiar Washington problem: Democrats are willing to stall national security tools and intelligence leadership when they dislike President Trump’s personnel decisions, even as global threats continue to mount.

The coming days will test whether Senate Republicans can move quickly enough to confirm Clayton, stabilize the intelligence community, and keep pressure on Democrats over a surveillance authority GOP leaders say remains critical to protecting American lives.