GOP Committee Chair Barreling Ahead With Hearing For DNI Pick Despite Trump Blowing Up Nomination Process

Republican Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton announced Wednesday that U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Jay Clayton’s confirmation hearing to be the next director of national intelligence has been postponed.

Trump stated on Truth Social Wednesday that Clayton’s nomination would not move forward until Jamie McDonald is approved to be the next attorney for the Southern District of New York. Cotton, who chairs the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, stated the hearing would be postponed after he initially planned to proceed with the hearing.

”It’s regrettable that the president has directed Jay Clayton not to appear at his confirmation hearing today,” Cotton said. “Mr. Clayton is a patriot and a highly qualified nominee, as the president has said repeatedly. While today’s hearing is now unfortunately postponed, I look forward to proceeding with his confirmation in the near future.”

Cotton initially planned to still go through with the scheduled hearing.

“Jay Clayton is a pending nominee before the Intelligence Committee. We will proceed with his hearing as scheduled unless the president directs him not to appear or withdraws his nomination,” Cotton said.

The Senate scheduled Clayton’s hearing unusually early, reflecting pressure on the upper chamber to pass an extension of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) that expired on June 12, which allows the government to conduct warrantless searches on American citizens’ data.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune told reporters the chamber will “take it a day at a time” until they get more clarity on Trump’s position on Clayton’s nomination. When asked why he thinks Trump is doing this, Thune replied, “Good question.”