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Trump seeks delay for spy chief nomination hearing

News imageGetty Images Jay Clayton sits in a chair on a stage. The backdrop has the word Bloomberg repeatedly. He is wearing a dark suit, white shirt and dark patterned tie. His legs appear to be crossed and he is gesturing with his right hand. Getty Images
Jay Clayton is due to attend the nomination hearing on Wednesday

US President Donald Trump is seeking to delay a hearing to confirm the nation's top spy chief, citing frustration with surveillance legislation stalled in Congress.

Jay Clayton is scheduled to appear on Capitol Hill on Wednesday for a nomination hearing to take over as the Director of National Intelligence (DNI).

On Truth Social, Trump said he would delay the hearing because he was frustrated that lawmakers had allowed the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) to lapse.

Senate intelligence committee chair Tom Cotton said on X that the hearing will proceed "as scheduled unless the president directs [Clayton] not to appear or withdraws his nomination".

The Clayton hearing is scheduled for14:00 EST (19:00 GMT).

In his early morning social media post, Trump said that he would not "approve" FISA unless the SAVE America Act is included. The SAVE act would require people to provide ID and proof of citizenship to vote.

Democrats have widely condemned the proposed legislation, arguing it will restrict the rights of voters.

The current iteration of FISA, which governs how intelligence agencies can gather information from US telecoms companies, lacks sufficient support to pass. Adding the SAVE Act could make passage more difficult.

Clayton is currently serving as US Attorney for the Southern District of New York.

Trump said that until Clayton's successor at the SDNY is approved and until Clayton goes through the Senate confirmation process, loyalist Bill Pulte will take over the DNI role on an interim basis.

The president faced bipartisan pushback when he first tapped Pulte, who has no national security background, for the interim DNI job.

When Trump announced last week had selected Clayton as Pulte's permanent replacement, lawmakers sought to move ahead quickly with his confirmation process.

The US director of national intelligence is country's top spy chief and oversees 18 government intelligence agencies. They serve as the principal adviser to the president, the National Security Council, and the Homeland Security Council on national security matters related to intelligence.

The next DNI chief will replace outgoing director Tulsi Gabbard, who announced last month that she will leave the role 30 June.