President Donald Trump announced the cancellation of the confirmation hearing for Jay Clayton, his nominee for director of national intelligence, which was scheduled for Wednesday. The cancellation is contingent upon the Senate confirming Jamie McDonald as the next U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, a position Clayton currently holds. Trump stated, 'I don’t want to take Jay Clayton away from the great job he is doing until Jamie is in place.' In the meantime, Bill Pulte will continue as the Acting Director of National Intelligence.
The Senate Intelligence Committee's next steps are unclear following Trump's announcement. Clayton was expected to appear at the hearing at 2 p.m., and the cancellation complicates efforts to reauthorize Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which allows warrantless surveillance abroad. Republicans had aimed for Clayton's confirmation by Thursday to prevent Pulte from assuming the role permanently.
Democrats have expressed concerns regarding the confirmation process, particularly regarding the blue slip practice, which allows home state senators to veto a nominee. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer indicated that the Democratic vote on Clayton's confirmation would depend on his performance during the hearing, stating, 'We are all awaiting the hearing, and we’ll make some decisions after that.'