Trump upends careful compromise on intel chief, plunging GOP into disarray | CNN Politics

Republicans on Capitol Hill believed they’d found a way to dump President Donald Trump’s controversial pick for temporary intelligence chief — while defusing a major fight with Democrats over a significant national security bill. Then came Trump’s middle-of-the-night missive from Switzerland. “I will not approve FISA without THE SAVE AMERICA ACT going along with it. Not complicated, actually, the Republicans fell into a trap,” the president wrote early Wednesday. “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,” he added. “In the meantime, Bill Pulte will remain as the Acting Director of National Intelligence.” Trump’s Truth Social post on Wednesday blew up weeks of careful party strategy to usher in a compromise pick, Jay Clayton, to oversee the nation’s intelligence agencies. Instead, Trump made clear he’s now seeking to keep that contentious nominee — MAGA loyalist Pulte — in an interim position for even longer. Further complicating matters, the president also demanded the passage of his signature voter ID bill attached to the must-pass national security bill, wh