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Trump plans to nominate U.S. Atty. Jay Clayton to be national intelligence director

Jay Clayton, U.S. Atty. for the Southern District of New York, listens during a news conference
Jay Clayton, U.S. Atty. for the Southern District of New York, listens during a news conference in New York on March 9.
(Seth Wenig / Associated Press)

President Trump said Thursday that he plans to nominate Jay Clayton, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York and a former Securities and Exchange Commission chairman, as director of national intelligence.

Trump announced the nomination on social media amid pressure from Congress to name a permanent replacement for Tulsi Gabbard, who resigned last month. Trump faced intense pushback over his decision to name Bill Pulte, head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, as acting director.

The situation has led to a standoff in Congress as Democrats said they would refuse to renew foreign intelligence powers unless Trump pulled Pulte’s nomination and named a permanent nominee.

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“Few people anywhere in the Legal Community are respected at the level of Jay,” Trump wrote. “I encourage the United States Senate to confirm Jay as soon as possible.”

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