Trump's Efforts to Cancel DNI Hearing Face Resistance from Senate Committee

President Donald Trump's efforts to cancel the upcoming hearing for Jay Clayton to become the next director of national intelligence have been met with resistance from the Senate Intelligence Committee. Trump had directed Clayton not to appear at his confirmation hearing, citing the need to approve his pick to replace Clayton as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jamie McDonald.

However, Senate Intelligence Committee chairman Tom Cotton announced that the hearing will proceed as planned. 'It's regrettable that the president has directed Jay Clayton not to appear at his confirmation hearing today,' Cotton wrote on social media. 'Mr. Clayton is a patriot and a highly qualified nominee. While today's hearing is now unfortunately postponed, I look forward to proceeding with his confirmation in the near future.'

Trump's push for the hearing to be canceled comes amid growing controversy over his appointment of Bill Pulte as acting director of national intelligence. Pulte is a businessman who has been accused of launching politically motivated investigations into several of Trump's perceived enemies, including Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook and New York Attorney General Letitia James.

The Senate Intelligence Committee's decision to proceed with the hearing comes as Trump has also called for the reauthorization of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which allows the federal government to collect communications of foreigners abroad without a warrant. Trump has linked the reauthorization of this program to the approval of his SAVE America Act bill.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has criticized Trump's efforts to cancel the hearing and undermine the reauthorization of FISA. 'Trump is twisting himself up in knots and jumping through hoops to make it impossible to reauthorize FISA right now, and he is embarrassing his Republican colleagues in the process,' Schumer said.