President Trump delayed his own intelligence director nominee in an early-morning social media post Wednesday, upending Senate Republican efforts to confirm Jay Clayton and renew a crucial surveillance law, in the latest move stoking deep frustration among GOP senators who say Trump repeatedly undermines their legislative agenda.
From the Group of Seven summit in France, Trump announced he was postponing Clayton’s confirmation hearing just hours before it was scheduled, despite bipartisan support for the nominee and Republican hopes to fast-track his approval. Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Tom Cotton initially said the hearing would proceed unless Trump directed Clayton not to appear—but Trump did direct him not to appear, and Cotton postponed the hearing.
Trump’s stated reason for the delay: he will not sign renewal of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), a bipartisan surveillance program that expired last week, unless the Senate first passes his SAVE America Act, a voter ID and citizenship verification bill that has repeatedly failed to gain the votes needed in the chamber. “Why are they afraid of this guy?” Trump said of his temporary intelligence chief, Bill Pulte, whom he defended as “fair” and “talented.”
The move set off a cascade of GOP frustration that had been building for months. Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana, when asked whether Trump takes senators into consideration, responded bluntly: “Well, duh. No, I don’t. He wants what he wants, and until he gets it, he just keeps pushing.” Senator Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia called the timing “unfortunate” and said it “throws a kicker into the system when we get going and then we have to readjust.”
Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina, who has already announced his retirement partly due to breaks with Trump, said the president’s recent moves are “undermining the results he wants.” Tillis pointed out that Clayton was “on the brink of having a very good hearing and probably getting some Democrat support,” but Trump’s delay has made FISA renewal unlikely. “That’s a mistake,” Tillis said.
This is not the first time Trump has weaponized his own nominees or legislative priorities to pressure the Senate. In early June, Trump appointed Bill Pulte as acting intelligence director just as FISA renewal was moving toward passage, which upset bipartisan talks and prompted Democrats to refuse cooperation. Earlier, Republicans revolted over a $1.776 billion “anti-weaponization” fund and a $1 billion security request for the White House, delaying an immigration funding bill for weeks. Senate Majority Leader John Thune said the White House employs a “business model” of surprise moves. “Sometimes you get surprised,” Thune told reporters Wednesday. “We’ve had to figure out how to be adaptable.”
The stakes are substantial. FISA Section 702 is described by national security officials across both parties as vital for gathering intelligence to disrupt terrorist attacks and espionage operations. A court order from March allows the program to continue for another 12 months, though communications companies could challenge the government’s authority to compel their cooperation. Democratic Senator Mark Warner of Michigan called Trump’s move “an extraordinary display of dysfunction from a president who seems determined to turn America’s national security into a political bargaining chip.”
Trump’s delay also makes it more likely that Pulte will assume the permanent role of director of national intelligence, a prospect that has alarmed both Republicans and Democrats. Pulte, who heads the Federal Housing Finance Agency, has no known national security experience and has used his position to target perceived adversaries of the president. Democratic Senator Elissa Slotkin, a former CIA analyst, said Pulte’s appointment “should send a shiver down the spine of every American.”
Sources
- Politico — Trump’s U-turn on Clayton and Senate Republican frustration, including quotes from Senators Kennedy, Capito, and Tillis on the coordination failures and legislative impact.
- Federal News Network — Trump’s delay of Clayton, his demand for the SAVE America Act, the impact on FISA renewal, and quotes from Senators Tillis, Schumer, and Slotkin on the consequences.
- NPR — Republican reactions to Trump’s leverage attempt and the broader pattern of surprise moves.
