Trump upends Senate GOP's plans once again with nomination demands

Washington — Senate Republicans were poised to propulsion disconnected a analyzable maneuver this week to corroborate President Trump's newest prime for manager of nationalist intelligence, a determination that would person resolved an impasse implicit a lapsed warrantless surveillance program. 

Then, the president himself threw a wrench successful the plans. In an aboriginal greeting Truth Social station from Europe, helium said Jay Clayton's confirmation should not determination guardant until the Senate approves a replacement for his existent relation arsenic the apical national authoritative successful Manhattan. He besides made further demands for the reauthorization of Section 702 of FISA, which grants quality agencies wide authorization to spy connected overseas targets. Senators canceled Clayton's confirmation proceeding erstwhile it became wide helium wouldn't appear.

Why did the president bash it?

"Good question," Senate Majority Leader John Thune told reporters Wednesday. 

Senate Majority Leader John Thune walks from the Senate level to his bureau connected Wednesday, June 17, 2026. Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

The breakdown represents the latest misalignment betwixt the enforcement subdivision and Senate Republicans. A fig of poorly timed announcements from the different extremity of Pennsylvania Avenue person forced Thune and his league to squander cautiously laid plans, exposing a widening rift wrong the enactment heading into the midterm elections.

The quality implicit Clayton's information has its origins successful different determination by the president: his announcement of Bill Pulte arsenic acting manager of nationalist quality earlier this month. That determination single-handedly foiled an emerging deal to reauthorize Section 702, with Democrats saying they would not enactment doing truthful if Pulte was acceptable to instrumentality over.

And past month, the Justice Department's announcement of an "anti-weaponization" money blew up Senate GOP plans to o.k. long-sought funding for migration enforcement agencies, forcing them to delay votes. That aforesaid backing bundle had to beryllium reworked days earlier to region funds for information tied to Mr. Trump's monolithic White House ballroom project. 

GOP senators' frustrations person been exacerbated by the president efficaciously ousting 2 of their own. He endorsed the superior opponents of Sens. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and John Cornyn of Texas, starring to stinging superior defeats. Both person been much consenting to knock the medication successful the weeks since.

"It's hard to divorcement thing that happens present from what's happening successful the governmental ambiance astir us," Thune told reporters past month.

Senate Republicans person besides been clamoring for much details this week connected the U.S.-Iran statement that was announced Sunday. GOP leaders called for a briefing, but appeared to beryllium near mostly successful the dark.

The miscommunications person erstwhile again enactment the bulk person successful a hard position, raising questions astir wherefore the president seems intent connected making his beingness much difficult.

"I cognize the president beauteous well, and I deliberation helium truly likes Sen. Thune," GOP Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana told reporters Wednesday. "I mean, who doesn't similar John Thune? If you don't similar John Thune, you don't similar aureate retrievers."

Sen. John Kennedy speaks with reporters astatine the Capitol connected March 26, 2026. J. Scott Applewhite / AP

Kennedy argued that the president simply has "two speeds: uninterested and the velocity of light."

"And connected the things that are important to him, helium moves astatine the velocity of light," Kennedy said. 

The president has repeatedly been astatine likelihood with Senate GOP enactment implicit 1 contented successful peculiar — an elections measure known arsenic the SAVE America Act, which would enforce strict caller rules for registering to ballot and casting ballots. Thune has repeatedly explained that the bill, which Democrats and a fistful of Republicans oppose, does not person the votes to walk successful the Senate. But the president has encouraged Thune to find a mode to get it done, including by changing the Senate's rules if needed. 

"He wants the SAVE Act and helium wants Bill Pulte, that's clear," Kennedy said of the president. "But that's not the mode this spot works. I mean, I privation a Porsche for my birthday. I'm not going to get it."

The predetermination authorities was portion of Mr. Trump's demands connected Wednesday, erstwhile helium torpedoed the Senate's plans to determination up with Clayton's confirmation. "[T]o adhd a flimsy spot of intrigue but, for the Good of the Nation, and the People of our Country, I volition not o.k. FISA without THE SAVE AMERICA ACT going on with it," the president wrote.

Before the 11th-hour intervention, Clayton was expected to sail to confirmation arsenic soon arsenic Thursday, successful what would person been a important triumph for Senate Republicans, who moved astatine a accelerated clip to fast-track his nomination. Doing truthful would person precluded the request for Pulte to instrumentality the reins of the quality community, clearing the mode for Democrats to enactment reauthorizing Section 702.

The White House did not instantly respond to a petition for comment.

With the president's latest turn, and the realities of the dynamics successful the precocious chamber, Senate Republicans were near unclear astir however to proceed. Asked Wednesday day astir the way forward, Thune said, "I'm not definite I cognize the reply to that conscionable yet." He told reporters that helium hadn't spoken to the president successful a fewer days.

"This is his nominee, and truthful evidently helium made a determination not to determination guardant astatine the moment," Thune said. "And we'll spot what comes next."

But for a bulk person who was uncharacteristically tight-lipped, with an docket erstwhile again astatine the whims of the president, "one time astatine a time" was his astir accordant refrain.