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June 18, 2026 / 9:46 AM EDT
/ CBS News
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Washington — Senate Republicans were poised to pull off a complex maneuver this week to confirm President Trump's newest pick for director of national intelligence, a move that would have resolved an impasse over a lapsed warrantless surveillance program. Then, the president himself threw a wrench in the plans. In an early morning Truth Social post from Europe, he said Jay Clayton's confirmation should not move forward until the Senate approves a replacement for his current role as the top federal prosecutor in Manhattan. He also made additional demands for the reauthorization of Section 702 of FISA, which grants intelligence agencies broad authority to spy on overseas targets. Senators canceled Clayton's confirmation hearing once it became clear he wouldn't appear.Why did the president do it?"Good question," Senate Majority Leader John Thune told reporters Wednesday.
