Democrats demand guarantee Pulte won't serve as acting intelligence director; Trump nominates Clayton
US Democrats demand President Trump guarantee that Bill Pulte will not serve as acting intelligence director, while Trump nominates Jay Clayton for the role and claims a deal with Iran is imminent. The House fails to extend FISA surveillance powers.
Senate Democrats on Thursday demanded that President Trump provide a clear guarantee that Bill Pulte, whom he wanted to install as acting director of national intelligence, will not serve in that position. Pulte has been described as a political "attack dog," and his appointment has drawn broad criticism.
Chuck Schumer, the senior Democrat in the Senate, told reporters that "Pulte has to go," emphasizing that national security is too important to risk. House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries also said Trump must withdraw Pulte's elevation before Congress can act to extend Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which allows warrantless interception of foreign communications and expires on Friday.
Trump on Tuesday nominated Jay Clayton, former chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, to be the permanent director of national intelligence. Clayton currently serves as U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York and requires Senate confirmation.
Meanwhile, Trump announced in the Oval Office that Iran's supreme leader has approved a deal that could be signed this weekend. He claimed Iran has committed to never develop or acquire nuclear weapons, though Iranian officials have not confirmed these reports. Trump also said he called off scheduled strikes and bombings against Iran tonight.
The House failed to pass a short-term extension of FISA in a 198-218 vote, after Democrats said they would block it in protest of Pulte's appointment. This leaves Section 702 set to expire on Friday.
The Pentagon briefly went into partial lockdown due to a potential air quality issue, but normal operations resumed after testing confirmed no hazard. Additionally, the renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was completed at a cost of $14.2 million, receiving mixed reactions from visitors.
