Senate Advances Clayton Hearing Amid Trump's Nomination Delay

WHO:

Alternet - President Donald Trump, Jay Clayton (nominee for director of national intelligence), Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.), Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), Bill Pulte (acting DNI), Tulsi Gabbard (former DNI), James McDonald (nominated to replace Clayton).

WHAT:

Alternet - Senate Majority Leader John Thune stated that Sen. Tom Cotton is still planning to hold the DNI hearing for Jay Clayton, unless Trump withdraws the nomination or Clayton does not show up.

AP News - Sen. Tom Cotton expressed regret over Trump's direction for Clayton not to appear, calling him a "patriot and a highly qualified nominee."

AP News - Trump indicated he would not remove Clayton from his current position as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York until his replacement, James McDonald, is approved.

AP News - Trump stated, “I will not approve FISA without THE SAVE AMERICA ACT going along with it,” linking the surveillance program's approval to the voter ID bill.

Alternet - President Trump announced he was "canceling" the confirmation hearing for Jay Clayton, stating that a president can't decide whether or not a congressional hearing is held.

AP News - Sen. Tom Cotton stated, “It’s regrettable that the president has directed Jay Clayton not to appear at his confirmation hearing today,” emphasizing Clayton's qualifications.

AP News - Trump indicated he would keep Bill Pulte as acting DNI, which has drawn bipartisan opposition due to his lack of experience in intelligence.

AP News - Trump accused Democrats of breaking a deal to renew the surveillance program after he nominated Clayton, linking his approval of the program to the passage of the voter ID bill.

AP News - Trump announced he was delaying Jay Clayton’s nomination to lead the U.S. intelligence community.

CBS News Politics - The Senate is moving forward with Jay Clayton's confirmation hearing despite Trump's delay.

AP News - Trump directed Clayton not to appear for his confirmation proceedings, leading to the postponement of the hearing.

AP News - The goal was to hold the hearing quickly with a vote on Thursday.

WHERE:

AP News - The announcement was made during the G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains, France.

AP News - The confirmation hearing was scheduled to take place in Washington, D.C.

WHEN:

Alternet - The confirmation hearing for Clayton was scheduled for Wednesday.

AP News - The hearing was postponed on the same day it was supposed to occur.

WHY:

AP News - The delay has created uncertainty over the leadership of the 18-agency intelligence community and has affected the renewal of a crucial surveillance program that expired in Congress last week.

AP News - The delay has injected uncertainty over the long-term leadership of the intelligence community and dashed hopes for a swift renewal of a crucial surveillance program that expired in Congress last week.

AP News - Trump delayed the nomination to pressure Congress to act on a voter ID bill that lacked sufficient support.

AP News - Trump linked his approval of the surveillance program to the passage of the voter ID bill, stating, “I will not approve FISA without THE SAVE AMERICA ACT going along with it.”

HOW:

AP News - Trump made the announcement via social media just hours before Clayton’s scheduled confirmation hearing, which was fast-tracked due to the program’s lapse.

AP News - Trump made the announcement via social media just hours before the scheduled hearing.

AP News - The Senate Intelligence Committee, led by Cotton, planned to proceed with the hearing despite Trump's actions, unless Clayton was withdrawn or did not appear.

(UPDATED June 17, 2026 23:23 UTC)

Senate Majority Leader John Thune announced that Senator Tom Cotton still intends to hold the DNI hearing for Jay Clayton, unless Trump withdraws the nomination or Clayton fails to appear. Cotton expressed regret over Trump’s direction for Clayton not to attend, calling him a "patriot and a highly qualified nominee," while Trump stated he would not remove Clayton from his current role until James McDonald is approved as his replacement. The delay in leadership for the 18-agency intelligence community has created uncertainty and impacted the renewal of a crucial surveillance program that recently expired in Congress.

(UPDATED June 17, 2026 19:45 UTC)

President Trump announced he was canceling the confirmation hearing for Jay Clayton, stating that a president can't decide whether a congressional hearing is held. Senator Tom Cotton expressed regret over the decision, highlighting Clayton's qualifications, while Trump indicated he would keep Bill Pulte as acting DNI, a move facing bipartisan opposition due to Pulte's lack of experience in intelligence. This delay has created uncertainty regarding the leadership of the intelligence community and has dashed hopes for a quick renewal of a crucial surveillance program that recently expired in Congress.

(UPDATED June 17, 2026 17:57 UTC)

President Trump has announced a delay in Jay Clayton's nomination to lead the U.S. intelligence community, directing Clayton not to appear for his confirmation hearing that was set for Wednesday in Washington, D.C. Despite this setback, the Senate Intelligence Committee, led by Senator Tom Cotton, intends to move forward with the hearing, aiming for a vote on Thursday. Trump is using this delay as leverage to pressure Congress to act on a voter ID bill, linking his approval of the surveillance program to the passage of the proposed legislation.