President Donald Trump is nominating Jay Clayton, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York and a former Securities and Exchange Commission chairman, as director of national intelligence. Trump announced the nomination on social media Thursday amid pressure from Congress to name a permanent replacement for Tulsi Gabbard, who announced her resignation last month. Trump faced intense pushback over his decision to name Bill Pulte, head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, as acting director. The resulting uproar led to a standoff in Congress as Democrats said they would refuse to renew foreign intelligence powers unless Trump pulled Pulte’s nomination and named a permanent nominee.

Senators are warning that a key U.S. surveillance authority could expire this week after bipartisan opposition to President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the nation’s intelligence community derailed an extension effort. Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act allows intelligence agencies to collect communications from foreign targets overseas without a warrant and is set to expire June 12. Senate leaders had been nearing a deal to renew the program, but support collapsed after Trump named housing finance regulator Bill Pulte as acting director of national intelligence. Intelligence officials say the authority is critical to national security and foreign threat detection.

Democrats and Republicans say President Donald Trump's pick for director of national intelligence seems unqualified. Democrats say federal housing finance director Bill Pulte lacks national security experience. Republican Sens. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and John Cornyn of Texas are leaving the chamber after this year’s elections and say Pulte lacks qualifications to be DNI. The Republican president says Pulte will remain director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency and chair of mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac while filling in for Tulsi Gabbard, who resigned last month. Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren says Pulte has abused his authority as housing finance director and asks, “What could go wrong?”