{"id":15678,"date":"2026-06-17T11:31:57","date_gmt":"2026-06-17T11:31:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=15678"},"modified":"2026-06-17T11:31:57","modified_gmt":"2026-06-17T11:31:57","slug":"trump-delays-claytons-nomination-for-intelligence-director-to-try-to-push-congress-on-voter-id-bill","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=15678","title":{"rendered":"Trump delays Clayton\u2019s nomination for intelligence director to try to push Congress on voter ID bill"},"content":{"rendered":"

By AAMER MADHANI, DARLENE SUPERVILLE, ERIC TUCKER and MARY CLARE JALONICK<\/strong><\/p>\n

EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France (AP) \u2014 President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he was delaying federal prosecutor Jay Clayton\u2019s nomination to lead the U.S. intelligence community in a bid to force Congress to act on a voter ID bill that currently lacks enough support for passage.<\/p>

Read more G7 leaders back Trump\u2019s plan to end Iran war that faces skepticism at home<\/a><\/p>\n

The Republican president said in a social media post just hours before Clayton\u2019s scheduled confirmation hearing that he will keep Bill Pulte, a top U.S. housing official, as acting director of national intelligence. Democratic and Republican lawmakers had opposed Trump\u2019s selection of Pulte, citing his lack of known experience in intelligence and his use of his current administration perch to target perceived adversaries of the president \u2014 resistance that last week forced Trump to turn to Clayton.<\/p>\n

The abrupt announcement creates instant uncertainty over the long-term leadership of the 18-agency intelligence community and dashes hopes for a swift renewal of a crucial surveillance program that expired in Congress last week due to bipartisan anger over Trump\u2019s pick of Pulte.<\/p>\n

That tool, Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, permits spy agencies to collect without a warrant the communications of targeted foreigners located outside the United States. National security officials across both major political parties have for years described Section 702 as vital for gathering intelligence that can disrupt terror attacks and espionage operations, though some lawmakers and civil liberties advocates have raised concerns over the government\u2019s use of information about Americans that is incidentally collected through the program.<\/p>\n

Clayton had been set to appear on Wednesday for a Senate confirmation hearing that was fast-tracked because of the program\u2019s lapse. Democrats had said they would not renew the expired surveillance programs until Trump withdrew the selection of Pulte.<\/p>\n