Senate Majority Leader John Thune, Republican of South Dakota, during a press conference after the weekly Senate Republican Policy Luncheon on Tuesday, June 9, 2026, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC.
Elizabeth Franz | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Bill Peult, President Donald Trump’s controversial pick to serve as acting director of national intelligence, is poised to assume the role on Friday after Trump blocked efforts by Senate Republicans to fast-track confirmation of Jay Clayton’s nomination as acting director of national intelligence.
President Trump’s surprising move will give Prut access to the most sensitive data of the US intelligence community, despite concerns that such information could be used to target the president’s enemies.
President Trump effectively announced on Wednesday that Pruitt would continue to serve as acting DNI, and the Senate blocked Creighton from hearing his confirmation hearing the same day until Congress overcomes several legislative hurdles.
President Trump has said he will not sign any extension of critical national security programs, even if passed by Congress, unless it includes passage of the controversial Voter ID and Citizenship Verification Elections Act.
President Trump also said that before the Senate can confirm Creighton as director of national intelligence, the Senate must approve his successor, James McDonald, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York.
Democrats have vowed to oppose any extension of the National Security Program (Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act) as long as Mr. Pulte remains President Trump’s DNI nominee. And it’s not clear whether there will even be enough Republican senators to pass the election bill.
Sen. Mark Warner, D-Virginia, on Thursday called Mr. Pulte a “national security threat.”
“Donald Trump is treating national security like a political bargaining chip,” said Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.
“Most of the talk here is Democrats versus Republicans. This is not Democrats versus Republicans,” Warner said.
“This is when sensible members of both parties in the Senate are saying let’s avoid a catastrophe, and yet Donald Trump is throwing live grenades.”
“I think he’s very committed to Bill Pelt,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune (D) said Thursday of President Trump.
Mr. Thune and other Republicans had hoped to appease Democrats by quickly confirming Mr. Clayton and opening the door to a FISA extension.
Asked what the future holds for Creighton’s nomination and FISA, Thune said, “That’s probably a good question for the White House because we’ve never been asked to delay a nomination.”
Republicans and Democrats have questioned Mr. Pulte’s suitability for the job, citing his lack of national intelligence experience and his actions as head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency.
In his role at the agency, Pruitt launched multiple investigations into opponents of President Trump for alleged mortgage fraud.
Critics of Trump’s move said the president was endangering national security by elevating Pulte and destroying any progress made on FISA.
Sen. Thom Tillis, RN.C., who is retiring at the end of this Congress, told reporters Wednesday that “Mr. Jay got a very good hearing and was probably on the verge of getting some Democratic support, and now we’re in a situation where that might be why 702 isn’t reauthorized.”
Trump selected Pruitt as acting DNI earlier this month after Tulsi Gabbard resigned in May.
After pushback from Congress, President Trump said he would nominate Creighton.
The SAVE America Act, an election bill that President Trump is seeking to pass as part of the FISA extension, was introduced in the House of Representatives in February, but has so far stalled in the Senate.
Vice President J.D. Vance was asked about the bill’s bleak prospects in the Senate during Thursday’s White House press conference.
“Why not at least try to get people to vote no,” Vance said.
“One of the things that frustrates me sometimes about the legislative process is people jump into bills saying this is impossible, so we’re not even going to try. Well, let’s see,” Vance said.
Meanwhile, some lawmakers are urging President Trump to reconsider his position.
“Democrats are maliciously blocking FISA, but confirming Jay Clayton would allow for a faster resolution,” Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana) wrote in a post on X.
“Mr. President, by preventing Jay Clayton from testifying before the Senate Intelligence Committee, you are putting American lives at risk. Put America first. Don’t stop Jay Clayton from testifying before the Intel Committee.”
However, Mr. Trump appears to be deeply critical of Mr. Prut.
Asked at the Group of Seven summit in Evian-les-Bains, France, on Wednesday how long Creighton’s nomination might be delayed, Trump said: “As long as everyone else gets approval.”
“So they acted rashly and we got nothing for it,” Trump said.
“He’s a very honest guy. He’s very smart. He’s a great guy,” President Trump said of Prut.
—Emily Wilkins and Karen James Sloan contributed to this story.
