Trump Blames ‘dumocrats’ And Republicans Alike As He Cancels Senate Hearing On Dni Pick Clayton In Bitter Standoff

President Donald Trump blamed some parties successful nan Senate arsenic he canceled nan confirmation hearings for Jay Clayton to lead nan Office of nan Director of National Intelligence, sidesplitting what should person been an easy confirmation process.

Trump made nan announcement connected Truth Social arsenic he is successful France for nan G-7 summit, but it came earlier overmuch of Washington woke up.

Specifically, nan president criticized Republicans for moving pinch Democrats to torpedo his naming Bill Pulte, nan caput of nan Federal Housing Finance Agency, to beryllium acting director. Many Republicans balked astatine nan information fixed Pulte’s deficiency of acquisition successful intelligence and nationalist security while Democrats said that nan announcement killed their desire to reauthorize nan Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which expired past week.

“The Republicans agreed pinch Dumocrats to region very fair, and talented, William Pulte, from serving arsenic Acting DNI successful return for getting FISA approved by nan Dumocrats,” Trump said.

“However, nan Republicans moved truthful accelerated pinch nan hearings of nan Great Jay Clayton, existent U.S. Attorney for nan Southern District of New York, that Pulte would beryllium gone earlier nan Dumocrats would ballot connected FISA,” he said. “Now, nan Dumocrats are saying they will ballot against FISA — So, nan Republicans coiled up having fulfilled their commitment, but Dumocrats collapsed nan Deal.”

Clayton, nan erstwhile president of nan Securities and Exchange Commission, presently serves arsenic nan U.S. Attorney for nan Southern District of New York. But Trump said he did not want to springiness up Clayton earlier nan Senate confirmed Jamie McDonald, Trump’s nominee to switch Clayton.