In this Just the News article, Ben Whedon reports that the Senate could vote as early as Thursday to confirm Trump’s nominee Jay Clayton as Director of National Intelligence, replacing Tulsi Gabbard who resigned due to her husband’s cancer diagnosis.
- Clayton, currently U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, is expected to receive a favorable recommendation from the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence as early as Thursday, per Senate Majority Leader John Thune.
- Trump appointed Federal Housing Finance Agency chief Bill Pulte as acting DNI, drawing bipartisan criticism over his lack of national security experience.
- The nomination comes after the House failed to extend Section 702 of FISA, which authorizes warrantless surveillance of foreigners abroad.
- Several GOP senators including Josh Hawley, John Kennedy, Mike Lee, Rand Paul, Eric Schmitt, Rick Scott, and Tommy Tuberville joined Democrats in voting against advancing the FISA reauthorization.
- Democrats had attempted to leverage the FISA expiration to block or influence the acting DNI position, fearing potential use against Trump’s political opponents.
- Thune indicated the Senate could move quickly to confirm Clayton “if we get consent,” signaling a potentially swift full-chamber vote.
- The move aims to install a more experienced figure in the key intelligence role amid ongoing debates over surveillance powers and national security priorities.
Read the full story:
https://justthenews.com/politics-policy/senate-could-vote-clayton-dni-thursday-report
