President Trump pulled the plug on Jay Clayton’s Senate confirmation hearing for Director of National Intelligence on June 17, 2026, announcing the decision via Truth Social. The hearing was supposed to happen that same day.
Instead of a straightforward path to one of the most sensitive roles in American government, Clayton’s nomination is now hostage to two entirely separate political objectives: the confirmation of Jamie McDonald as US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and the passage of Trump’s proposed “Save America Act,” a voter ID bill.
Clayton was only nominated on June 11, meaning it took exactly six days for his confirmation process to get sidelined by unrelated legislative chess moves.
A confirmation held hostage
Trump explicitly stated he would not approve the renewal of FISA Section 702 surveillance authorities without the passage of the Save America Act. And he made it clear Clayton’s hearing stays canceled until McDonald gets confirmed to replace Clayton as US Attorney for the Southern District of New York.
