Trump nominates Jay Clayton for Director of National Intelligence

Key facts

• President Donald Trump nominated Jay Clayton as the next Director of National Intelligence.
• Jay Clayton previously served as the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York and as SEC chairman.
• The nomination follows controversy over Bill Pulte's temporary role as acting Director of National Intelligence.
• Democrats had insisted that Bill Pulte be removed from his role.
• The House of Representatives rejected a short-term extension of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.

President Donald Trump announced his intention to nominate Jay Clayton, the U.S. attorney for Manhattan and former Securities and Exchange Commission chairman, as the next Director of National Intelligence. This nomination appears to be an effort to resolve a political dispute that threatened the renewal of a key foreign surveillance program. Democrats had insisted that Bill Pulte, the acting intelligence chief and a Trump loyalist with no national security experience, be removed from the role. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer stated that Pulte "has to go" and that national security is too important to have him in the position. Trump acknowledged Pulte's temporary role, stating he was "only there for a little while" while a "very talented person, Jay Clayton" is confirmed. Clayton, who previously worked at Sullivan & Cromwell, specialized in mergers and capital raising. CIA Director John Ratcliffe reportedly recommended Clayton for the permanent DNI position. Despite praise for Clayton's qualifications from lawmakers like Senator Mark Warner, top Democrats indicated they would continue to withhold votes for the renewal of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act unless Trump definitively withdrew Pulte. The House of Representatives had previously rejected a short-term extension of the surveillance measure. Megan Messerly and Myah Ward discussed the implications on the Playbook Podcast.