Dems reject Trump’s top spy pick after demanding replacement, leaving counter-terror tool in air

Senate Democrats rejected President Donald Trump’s nomination of Jay Clayton as Director of National Intelligence (DNI) after demanding a permanent replacement for Bill Pulte, but Republicans confirmed Clayton on a party-line vote. The confirmation does not resolve the standoff over reauthorizing Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), a critical counter-terror tool that expired following Pulte’s interim appointment.