Trump puts Jay Clayton's nomination for intel chief on hold

Évian-les-Bains, France —  President Trump said on Wednesday that he's delaying Jay Clayton's nomination to lead the U.S. intelligence community in a bid to force Congress to act on a voter ID bill that currently lacks enough support for passage.

Mr. Trump said in a lengthy post on his social media site that he will keep Bill Pulte, a top U.S. housing official, as acting director of national intelligence.

Lawmakers in both parties had opposed Mr. Trump's nomination of Pulte, citing his apparent lack of experience in the intelligence field, which essentially forced the president to turn to Clayton.

Clayton had been set to appear on Wednesday for a Senate confirmation hearing that was fast-tracked because of the lapse of a crucial surveillance program due to bipartisan anger over Mr. Trump's pick of Pulte.

Democrats had said they wouldn't renew the expired surveillance programs until Mr. Trump withdrew Pulte's nomination.

In the social media post, Mr. Trump accused Democrats of breaking a deal to renew the program after he nominated Clayton. Mr. Trump also said he doesn't want to take Clayton out of the U.S. attorney's office before his replacement, Jamie McDonald, is approved.

And he added another condition: linking his approval of the surveillance program to the passage of a bill requiring people to show ID in order to vote.

"Therefore, to add a slight bit of intrigue but, for the Good of the Nation, and the People of our Country, I will not approve FISA without THE SAVE AMERICA ACT going along with it," Mr. Trump said, using the acronym for the surveillance program and his name for the voter ID bill.

The Republican-controlled Congress hasn't acted on the voting bill because it does not have enough support to pass in either chamber, particularly from Democrats.

A well-regarded lawyer, Clayton currently serves as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, one of the highest-profile and most prestigious jurisdictions in the country. The office is known for its prosecution of white-collar cases and financial crimes. Clayton served as the head of the Securities and Exchange Commission in the first Trump administration following a lengthy career at the law firm Sullivan & Cromwell.  

Mr. Trump made the announcement in Evian-les-Bains, France, where he was participating in the final day of the Group of Seven summit of leading industrial economies.