Senate Majority Leader John Thune signaled deep uncertainty Thursday over the fate of Jay Clayton\u2019s nomination as director of national intelligence.<\/p>\n

Its future, he told reporters, is essentially up to President Donald Trump.<\/p>\n

Asked whether Clayton\u2019s nomination was being withdrawn, Thune pointed to the White House for answers.<\/p>\n

\u201cI’ve never been asked to slow a nomination down before,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Asked for a further explanation of why Trump effectively killed the Senate GOP\u2019s hopes<\/a> of quickly confirming Clayton and unlocking an extension of key surveillance law, Thune mentioned the acting director of national intelligence who is set to start Friday: \u201cI think he\u2019s very committed to Bill Pulte.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t have good answers for these questions \u2014 those are probably better asked of the president and his team,\u201d he added. \u201cWe are just executing or trying to execute on what they had asked us to.\u201d<\/p>\n

Trump\u2019s early-morning Truth Social post Wednesday was only the latest instance where the president caught Republicans off-guard and frustrating GOP senators who worry that he is undercutting their efforts<\/a> to pass a legislative agenda and help their party\u2019s chances in the midterms.<\/p>\n

Trump has fumed in particular over Senate Republicans\u2019 inability to pass a GOP elections overhaul, the SAVE America Act, which doesn’t have 50 votes, much less the 60 needed to defeat a Democratic filibuster.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe’re going to do everything we can to work \u2014 as I’ve said before \u2014 in a constructive way on an agenda, but it’s going to be an agenda that we can get the votes to pass,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Thune went on to comment on Trump\u2019s peace agreement with Iran<\/a>, which has sparked angst among Senate Republicans. He said that he expects senators to be briefed on the \u201c memorandum of understanding<\/a>\u201d signed by Trump Wednesday early next week.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it’s good for Americans in the sense that opening up the [Strait of Hormuz] and getting the shipping lanes opened is going to make it easier to get things in and out,\u201d Thune said, adding that he needs \u201cto learn more about\u201d a $300 billion reconstruction fund included in the agreement.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"