This story appeared in The Logoffa daily newsletter that helps you stay informed about the Trump administration without letting political news rule your life. Register here.
Welcome to The Logoff: President Donald Trump is still poised to find his unqualified nominee for director of national intelligence.
What is happening? Last week, Trump was nominated Jay Claytonthe US attorney for the Southern District of New York, as its permanent director of national intelligence. Clayton’s election was a relief to senators worried about Trump’s initial nomination acting DAY, Bill Pultewho is set to take over on Friday. The Senate was scheduled to move quickly on Clayton’s nomination to beat the clock.
But on Wednesday, Trump caused a stir by canceling Clayton’s confirmation hearing scheduled for this afternoon – all but ensuring Pulte would get his chance to take over the 18 agencies that make up the US intelligence community on Friday.
Why Pulte? Pulte, the current director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (a title he will retain as acting DNI, according to Trump) has no national security experience and apparently lacks the credentials to oversee America’s intelligence agencies.
What he does have is an unending desire to go after Trump’s enemies using the power of his office. At FHFA, that seemed unproven alleged mortgage fraud; with American intelligence in his hand, it could be a more serious matter.
Pulte is also likely to cut staff at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence while leading the agency, and Trump has indicated that Pulte will use his role to investigate “rigged elections” (as her predecessor, Tulsi Gabbard, he has done)
What else do I need to know? Also tangled up in this is FISA, the major foreign surveillance program that is currently up for reauthorization.
It passed last week on bipartisan concerns over Pulte, and Trump’s nomination of Clayton was an attempt to get his passage through Congress. But now Trump has jeopardized the monitoring plan as well by asking lawmakers to tie it to the national voter ID bill that the Senate has already rejected. (In the post, Trump referred to this requirement as adding “a little intrigue.”)
And so, it’s time to leave…
Thanks for reading, and we’ll see you back here tomorrow!
