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Trump Picks Jay Clayton for Director of National Intelligence After Backlash Over Bill Pulte

The president said he would nominate Jay Clayton, the U.S. attorney in Manhattan and the former chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, for the permanent role.

© Dave Sanders for The New York Times

President Trump’s pick to be the director of national intelligence, Jay Clayton, took over as the U.S. attorney for Manhattan in April 2025.
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FISA Surveillance Law May Expire After Trump Picks Bill Pulte for Intel Post

Republicans are struggling to extend a powerful surveillance authority set to lapse this weekend after President Trump alienated lawmakers with his choice of acting spy chief.

© Eric Lee/The New York Times

President Trump last week named Bill Pulte, a confidant without any national security experience, as acting director of national intelligence.
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Blanche Was Once Seen as Tempering Trump’s Tactics. Now He’s All In.

The ascendancy of Todd Blanche shows how the practices that were initially deemed out of bounds even in President Trump’s Justice Department seem to be the order of the day.

© Doug Mills/The New York Times

Todd Blanche, the acting attorney general, during a cabinet meeting at the White House in May.
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