President Donald Trump on Wednesday railed against Republicans and “Dumocrats” for a failed plan to replace Bill Pulte as acting Director of National Intelligence with Jay Clayton.
“The Republicans agreed with Dumocrats to remove very fair, and talented, William Pulte, from serving as Acting DNI in return for getting FISA approved by the Dumocrats,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social. “However, the Republicans moved so fast with the hearings of the Great Jay Clayton, current U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, that Pulte would be gone before the Dumocrats would vote on FISA. Now, the Dumocrats are saying they will vote against FISA — So, the Republicans wound up having fulfilled their commitment, but Dumocrats broke the Deal.”
The president further argued that U.S. Attorney Jamie McDonald “must be confirmed and blue slipped” and chided Republicans for still observing the blue slip tradition in which senators from a state where a nominee hails can prevent them from going through the confirmation process.
“Because of the ridiculous views of Republicans on blue slipping (Dumocrats are often willing to nix it), I may not be able to get the extraordinary Sullivan & Cromwell Partner, Jamie, approved, and I don’t want to take Jay Clayton away from the great job he is doing until Jamie is in place,” Trump continued. “Therefore, to add a slight bit of intrigue but, for the Good of the Nation, and the People of our Country, I will not approve FISA without THE SAVE AMERICA ACT going along with it.”
Trump criticized Republicans for falling “into a trap” and noted that they are “cancelling the Senate Hearing RE: DNI today” for Clayton until McDonald is confirmed.
As Trump suggested in his post, he might have a hard time getting McDonald confirmed given that she would be operating in New York. Democratic Sens. Chuck Schumer and Gillibrand in New York could use the blue slip tradition to prevent her from even going through the confirmation process.
As far as the SAVE America Act, Senate Republicans have struggled to pass the measure because no Democrats have been willing to vote in support of it. Trump has repeatedly urged Senate Republicans to nuke the filibuster, which would allow them to pass the bill with a simple majority instead of having to get 60 votes. However, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) indicated there are not enough GOP lawmakers willing to use this tactic.
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