President Trump announced his intention to nominate Jay Clayton, the U.S. attorney in Manhattan and former chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, as the next director of national intelligence.
This decision follows pressure on Trump to revise his earlier choice of Bill Pulte, a senior housing official, for the role of acting director. Pulte was appointed to replace Tulsi Gabbard, who had recently stepped down.
Pulte’s appointment disrupted the renewal of a significant government surveillance authority. Nominating Clayton is not expected to rapidly resolve Trump’s conflicts with Congress. On Thursday, the House rejected a temporary three-week extension of the law set to expire at midnight on Friday. With Congress in recess, rescheduling a vote before the deadline remains challenging.
Trump urged the Senate to expedite Clayton’s confirmation, praising his legal reputation, stating, “Few people anywhere in the Legal Community are respected at the level of Jay.”
This news is developing. Updates will be provided as available.
Julian E. Barnes is a journalist for The Times, focusing on U.S. intelligence and international security.