PDJT just overturned the applecart. The President has gone all in on getting the SAVE America Act passed. This Act, which has high bipartisan support among Americans, has languished in the Senate for over a year. Republican voters endorse the Act by more than a 9 to 1 margin. Even more than 70% of Democratic voters support this. However, despite such wide support, the UniParty in DC won’t move to save our electoral process from fraud.
Then the resignation of Tulsi Gabbard as DNI appeared. Now I am sure that some within the DC Beltway breathed a sigh of relief that Gabbard had not gotten them in her crosshairs. This relief was shortlived. Bill Pulte, a Senate-confirmed director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) and chairman of Freddie Mac and Fannie May, was put forth as acting DNI.
All hell broke loose Washington. Pulte inside the Intelligence Community (IC) had Senators shaking and drooling all over themselves. Mark Warner, the vice-chair of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (SSCI) was visibly shaking when interviewed. I wonder what secrets he is afraid of. Will it come out that he may have ordered James Wolfe to leak classified information to the media?
After a couple of days of wailing and gnashing of teeth in DC, PDJT announced Jay Clayton, US attorney for SDNY, as a permanent replacement for Gabbard. Immediately the hosannas cascaded from the heavens. The FISA 702 renewal that had been held up by the Democrats was now to be moved forward. And, of course, Bill Pulte would leave the IC.
The process for confirming Clayton moved forward at a speed rarely seen in the US Senate. One has to wonder just what those Senators were afraid that Bill Pulte would uncover. It appeared that Clayton’s confirmation would take place within a week of the nomination.
There was a fly in the ointment however. Trump wanted the SAVE America Act included in the FISA 702 renewal. Thune, the Republican Senate majority leader, said that was not possible. Of course, it is certainly possible. Deals are made all the time in Congress. Thune was marching to someone else’s orders, certainly no the those of the American people.
So, Trump pulled the plug.
VIA TRUTH SOCIAL – “The Republicans agreed with Dumocrats to remove very fair, and talented, William Pulte, from serving as Acting DNI in return for getting FISA approved by the Dumocrats. However, the Republicans moved so fast with the hearings of the Great Jay Clayton, current U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, that Pulte would be gone before the Dumocrats would vote on FISA.
Now, the Dumocrats are saying they will vote against FISA — So, the Republicans wound up having fulfilled their commitment, but Dumocrats broke the Deal.
In addition, the newly nominated U.S. Attorney, Jamie McDonald, must be confirmed and blue slipped. Because of the ridiculous views of Republicans on blue slipping (Dumocrats are often willing to nix it), I may not be able to get the extraordinary Sullivan & Cromwell Partner, Jamie, approved, and I don’t want to take Jay Clayton away from the great job he is doing until Jamie is in place.
Therefore, to add a slight bit of intrigue but, for the Good of the Nation, and the People of our Country, I will not approve FISA without THE SAVE AMERICA ACT going along with it. Not complicated, actually, the Republicans fell into a trap.
Regarding the approval of our Great Patriot, Jay Clayton, we are cancelling the Senate Hearing RE: DNI today, and will not be going forward until Jamie McDonald is approved to be U.S. Attorney. In the meantime, Bill Pulte will remain as the Acting Director of National Intelligence. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
This puts Bill Pulte back in play. And Pulte has been handed NPSM-12.
What is NPSM-12? Jeff Childers notes:
Writ large, NPSM-12 places all national security systems under the authority of a single agency, the NSA, for cybersecurity purposes. This makes superficial sense in an age when AI chatbots are racing toward a quantum singularity that could crack any existing encryption.
But some of the NSPM’s related powers could also challenge the standard operating procedures of all clandestine work. One wonky analysis of the order said, “Agencies will be required to maintain annual inventories of all National Security Systems under their control.” And, the NSA “will be able to issue emergency directives requiring agencies to take immediate action, to protect sensitive networks.”
NextGov chimed in:
Pulte is closely tied to DOGE. His critics constantly complain about how, under Pulte’s leadership, the DOGE model was extended into housing finance and related domains. Just what would Pulte do here? What would Pulte find?
It will be interesting to watch this unfold. Will the SAVE America Act find new life in the US Senate?