WASHINGTON — President Trump has unveiled his nominee to succeed Tulsi Gabbard as the new director of national intelligence: Jay Clayton, the current Manhattan US Attorney.
“Jay is held in high regard within the Legal Community,” Trump remarked on Truth Social on Thursday.
The President urged the US Senate to expedite Jay’s confirmation process.
Clayton, who previously led the Securities and Exchange Commission during Trump’s initial tenure, was selected amidst bipartisan criticism over the president’s decision to appoint federal housing regulator Bill Pulte as Gabbard’s interim replacement.
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Gabbard is set to vacate her position at the Office of Director of National Intelligence next Friday to support her husband, who has been recently diagnosed with bone cancer.
Congress has balked at Pulte’s appointment and the House of Representatives voted down the reauthorization of the federal government’s foreign spying powers in protest Thursday morning.
That authority, Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, will expire at 11:59 p.m. Friday absent quick action by legislators.
Pulte, the Federal Housing Finance Agency director, brought forward criminal referrals for alleged mortgage fraud against the president’s political enemies to the Department of Justice.
Those targeted included New York Attorney General Letitia James, Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and then-Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.).
Gabbard had also released investigative files alleging a “treasonous conspiracy” by Obama administration officials to accuse Trump of having the 2016 election handed to him through Russian interference.
