Trump Halts Jay Clayton DNI Hearing, Ties FISA Renewal to SAVE America Act

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jun 23

Senate Republicans postponed Jay Clayton’s DNI confirmation hearing after Trump demanded it be canceled and said he would not back a FISA renewal unless the SAVE America Act passes.
3:59 a.m. ET demands from Trump also required the Senate to confirm Jamie McDonald as U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York before advancing Clayton, blindsiding Majority Leader John Thune.
60 votes remain the central obstacle: the SAVE America Act has already failed twice, and Thune says Republicans also lack the numbers to break a filibuster or abolish it.
A bipartisan Section 702 compromise had been revived after Tulsi Gabbard resigned and Bill Pulte became acting DNI, but Democrats pulled support over Pulte and Trump’s latest intervention unraveled the path again.
Wednesday’s lunch with Senate Republicans now tests Trump’s relationship with Thune and a conference already frustrated by repeated disruptions to border funding, surveillance legislation and other parts of his agenda.