Anti-terrorism tool lapse deepens as Trump temporarily sidelines DNI nominee Clayton nomination and pushes for SAVE Act passage President Trump is demanding that the Senate Intelligence Committee today postpone the confirmation for DNI nominee Jay Clayton. The President now doesn’t want the Senate to move it confirms James McDonald to succeed Clayton as the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York. This means Bill Pulte will become acting DNI Friday.  Democrats balk at Pulte taking over temporarily in the job. That’s why they reneged on a bipartisan agreement to reauthorize the nation’s leading anti-terrorism tool, FISA Section 702. That program has now lapsed at a time of heightened threats in the U.S.  Democrats appeared willing to allow a reasonably quick confirmation of Clayton this week or early next to prevent Pulte from becoming acting DNI.  Confirmation of Clayton would likely unlock Democratic votes to pass FISA Section 702 in the coming days.  The President is also reiterating his demand that he won’t sign FISA unless lawmakers pass the SAVE America Act. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) reiterated to colleague Bret Baier last nighr that the votes weren’t there for the bill nor the votes to upend the filibuster.  The President’s latest move is really a pressure campaign on Thune - who said last night his conversations with President Trump are “a little bit testy and heated.”