President Donald Trump says he is canceling a scheduled hearing Wednesday for his nominee to serve as director of national intelligence, saying that Republican lawmakers fell into a legislative “trap.”
The 80-year-old president announced on Truth Social at 3:54 a.m. EST that he would not allow the hearings to proceed for DNI nominee Jay Clayton, currently serving as Manhattan U.S. attorney, until the Senate confirmed his replacement as federal prosecutor in New York City.
“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 posted. “However, the Republicans moved so fast with the hearings of the Great Jay Clayton, current U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, that Pulte would be gone before the Dumocrats would vote on FISA.”
“Now, the Dumocrats are saying they will vote against FISA — So, the Republicans wound up having fulfilled their commitment, but Dumocrats broke the Deal,” he added.
It’s not clear what Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR), chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, thinks of Trump announcing the 2 p.m. hearing has been canceled, which would typically be the panel chair’s decision and not the president’s.
“I don’t want to take Jay Clayton away from the great job he is doing until Jamie is in place,” Trump posted. “Therefore, to add a slight bit of intrigue but, for the Good of the Nation, and the People of our Country, I will not approve FISA without THE SAVE AMERICA ACT going along with it.”
“Not complicated, actually, the Republicans fell into a trap,” he added. “Regarding the approval of our Great Patriot, Jay Clayton, we are cancelling the Senate Hearing RE: DNI today, and will not be going forward until Jamie McDonald is approved to be U.S. Attorney. In the meantime, Bill Pulte will remain as the Acting Director of National Intelligence. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
Pulte had immediately drawn bipartisan criticism as lacking minimal qualifications when he was tapped to succeed Tulsi Gabbard as DNI, and he had been slated to start as acting director on Friday.
Democrats had refused to put up the votes necessary to an extension of the key foreign surveillance program.
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