Story perspectives

Trump Nominates Jay Clayton as DNI Amid Surveillance Deadline

6/11/2026

Summary

Story summary

President Donald Trump announced Thursday he will nominate U.S. attorney Jay Clayton, former SEC chair and Sullivan & Cromwell partner, as director of national intelligence, pending Senate confirmation.
The nomination follows congressional backlash over Trump’s interim appointment of Bill Pulte, which stalled renewal of key surveillance powers.
The House rejected a three-week extension of the surveillance law on Thursday, leaving a midnight Friday deadline and complicating further votes.

History

Historical Context

After the 1975 Senate Church Committee exposed intelligence abuses, President Jimmy Carter signed the 1978 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, creating the FISA Court to vet foreign-target surveillance. Over 33 years the court approved 33,942 warrants, rejecting only 12 (0.03%). Today, former SEC chair Jay Clayton’s DNI nomination arrives as Congress debates extending the act’s authority.

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Story summary

President Donald Trump announced Thursday he will nominate U.S. attorney Jay Clayton, former SEC chair and Sullivan & Cromwell partner, as director of national intelligence, pending Senate confirmation.
The nomination follows congressional backlash over Trump’s interim appointment of Bill Pulte, which stalled renewal of key surveillance powers.
The House rejected a three-week extension of the surveillance law on Thursday, leaving a midnight Friday deadline and complicating further votes.

1 / 2