Trump Says Bill Pulte Will Stay as Acting DNI

In a social media post Wednesday, President Donald Trump said William Pulte would stay on as acting director of national intelligence, despite Republicans working quickly to confirm the president’s nominee for the position, Jay Clayton.

Republicans had agreed to remove William Pulte, whose appointment had stirred controversy, in exchange for Democratic support for extending FISA, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. But Trump said Republicans moved too quickly on the confirmation for Clayton, who is currently U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York. This would have pushed Pulte’s departure up to before Democrats fulfilled their side of the bargain by renewing FISA.

Trump said that he does not want Clayton in his new position until his replacement as U.S. Attorney, Jamie McDonald, receives the Senate’s “blue slip” and is ready for confirmation.

Trump concluded by announcing that the Senate hearing on Clayton’s DNI nomination will be canceled and that Pulte will remain acting DNI until McDonald is approved.

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