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

Washington — Senate Republicans were poised to pull off a complex maneuver this week to confirm President Trump's newest pick for director of national intelligence, a move that would have resolved an impasse over a lapsed warrantless surveillance program. Then, the president himself threw a wrench in the plans . In an early morning Truth Social post from Europe, he said Jay Clayton's confirmation should not move forward until the Senate approves a replacement for his current role as the top federal prosecutor in Manhattan. He also made additional demands for the reauthorization of Section 702 of FISA, which grants intelligence agencies broad authority to spy on overseas targets. Senators canceled Clayton's confirmation hearing once it became clear he wouldn't appear. Why did the president do it? "Good question," Senate Majority Leader John Thune told reporters Wednesday. Senate Majority Leader John Thune walks from the Senate floor to his office on Wednesday, June 17, 2026. Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images The breakdown represents the latest misalignment between the executive branch and Senate Republicans. A number of poorly timed announcements from the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue have forced Thune and his conference to squander carefully laid plans, exposing a widening rift within the party heading into the midterm elections. …