Trump names Jay Clayton to serve as director of national intelligence
NPR • • general
Key Points:
- President Trump nominated Jay Clayton, former SEC chairman and federal prosecutor, as director of national intelligence, praising his legal reputation on Truth Social.
- Clayton's nomination follows the controversial appointment of Bill Pulte as acting director of national intelligence, which sparked political backlash and disrupted congressional negotiations.
- Pulte's lack of national security experience raised Democratic concerns about potential misuse of sensitive intelligence for political purposes.
- Despite Clayton's nomination, efforts to renew the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) Section 702 program failed, with the House unable to pass a short-term extension before recess.
- Congress is scheduled to return the week of June 22 to address the expiration of the FISA 702 surveillance authority.