Trump Cancels Clayton DNI Hearing, Links FISA Renewal to Save America Act

President says William Pulte will remain as Acting Director of National Intelligence until Sullivan & Cromwell partner Jamie McDonald is confirmed as U.S. Attorney.

NEW YORK — Donald J.Trump posted on Truth Social on June 17, 2026 at 2:54 AM EST, announced on Truth Social on June 17, 2026, by mentioning the source (see truthsocial), that he is canceling the Senate confirmation hearing forJay Clayton as Director of National Intelligence and will not approve the renewal of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act without passage of what he called “The Save America Act.” William Pulte will remain as Acting Director of National Intelligence indefinitely, Trump said. Trump described a collapsed bipartisan deal in which Republicans had agreed with Democrats to remove William Pulte from the acting DNI role in exchange for Democratic support on FISA reauthorization. According to Trump, Republicans moved so quickly to advance Jay Clayton’s confirmation hearings — Clayton currently serves as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York — that Pulte would have departed before Democrats voted on FISA. Trump accused Democrats of breaking the agreement by signaling they would vote against FISA after Republicans had already fulfilled their end of the bargain. The president added a new condition to the standoff: the confirmation of Jamie McDonald, a partner at the law firm Sullivan & Cromwell, as the next U.S. Attorney. Trump said he does not want to pull Jay Clayton from his current post until McDonald is confirmed and in place, but warned that the Senate’s “blue slip” tradition — which allows home-state senators to block judicial and prosecutorial nominees — could prevent McDonald’s approval. “Because of the ridiculous views of Republicans on blue slipping (Dumocrats are often willing to nix it), I may not be able to get the extraordinary Sullivan & Cromwell Partner, Jamie, approved,” Trump wrote. The decision effectively stalls two major tracks of government business simultaneously: intelligence community leadership and a critical national security surveillance authority. FISA, which authorizes the government’s ability to conduct foreign intelligence surveillance, has been a recurring flashpoint in Congress, with lawmakers on both sides raising concerns about civil liberties and oversight. By tying its renewal to the Save America Act — a separate legislative vehicle — Trump has introduced a new layer of political complexity to an already fraught process (see apnews.com). The move comes amid broader tensions between the White House and Capitol Hill over the pace and transparency of major policy decisions. Republican lawmakers have recently expressed frustration over a lack of detail on several administration initiatives, including the recently announced Iran agreement, with Senate Majority Leader John Thune telling reporters he had not been personally briefed on that deal (see apnews.com). Some GOP senators have publicly questioned whether they have enough information to support the administration’s agenda (see iranintl.com). Trump’s post, which he signed “Donald J.Trump,” framed the situation as one in which Republicans had been outmaneuvered. “Not complicated, actually, the Republicans fell into a trap,” he wrote. The cancellation of the Clayton hearing and the freeze on FISA reauthorization mark a significant escalation in the president’s use of executive leverage over the Senate confirmation process and legislative calendar. In the last 30 days, Trump has posted nine times on the sub-topic of cabinet nominations and dismissals, according to a NewsFindr analysis of his Truth Social activity.

Source: Zenger analysis

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