Trump Delays Nomination of Jay Clayton as Intelligence Chief, Citing Voter ID Bill and FISA Dispute
"I will not approve FISA without THE SAVE AMERICA ACT going along with it."
President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced a postponement of the nomination of federal prosecutor Jay Clayton to lead the U.S. intelligence community, linking the delay to a demand that Congress pass a voter ID bill and address issues surrounding the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).
Clayton Nomination Put on Hold
Clayton, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, was nominated as Director of National Intelligence (DNI) less than a week ago. His nomination came after bipartisan opposition to acting DNI Bill Pulte, who lacks intelligence experience and faced criticism for targeting Trump's perceived adversaries. A Senate hearing for Clayton, scheduled for the same day, was subsequently cancelled.
Trump's Stated Reasons
In a social media post, Trump outlined a series of conditions for moving forward with the nomination. He wrote that "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 alleged that Democrats later broke this deal. He further stated he would keep Bill Pulte as acting DNI despite bipartisan opposition, and linked the delay to the need to confirm Jamie McDonald as U.S. Attorney before allowing Clayton to vacate his current role.
"The Republicans fell into a trap," Trump concluded.
The "Save America Act" and FISA
Central to the dispute is Trump's insistence on linking FISA approval to the passage of a voter ID bill, which he referred to as "THE SAVE AMERICA ACT." The voter ID legislation currently lacks enough support for passage in Congress.
Trump's post made clear his position: "I will not approve FISA without THE SAVE AMERICA ACT going along with it."
Background on Trump's DNI Pick
Clayton, a former Wall Street lawyer, has served as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York. His nomination as DNI came as a surprise to many, given the ongoing controversy surrounding Pulte's temporary leadership. Trump's decision to delay the nomination now leaves the intelligence community under the direction of an acting official facing significant scrutiny.