President Donald Trump said he will nominate Jay Clayton, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York and former SEC chair, as director of national intelligence. Trump urged the Senate to confirm Clayton quickly as his acting pick, Bill Pulte, faces criticism on Capitol Hill.
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Hazmat crews responded to the Pentagon after systems detected an air quality issue, prompting a shelter-in-place order for an affected area. Officials said the measures were precautionary while the issue was assessed.
Trump threatened new strikes on Iran and the seizure of Kharg Island as U.S.-Iran fighting widened across Gulf states and the Gulf of Oman. Iran said the latest U.S. attacks made the ceasefire “practically meaningless,” while mediation efforts by Qatar and Pakistan continued.
The House is set to vote on a short-term extension of Section 702, but Democratic opposition over Bill Pulte’s appointment as acting intelligence chief could doom the measure. Lawmakers remain divided over civil liberties, national security and what happens if the authority expires Friday.
India lodged a “strong protest” with the United States after three Indian sailors were killed in a U.S. strike on the Palau-flagged M/T Settebello in the Gulf of Oman. U.S. forces also disabled two other tankers this week as part of a naval blockade linked to Iran.
Florida’s Supreme Court refused to block a new congressional map for the midterm elections, leaving districts drawn by Republicans in place while a legal challenge continues. Voting rights groups say the map is an unconstitutional partisan gerrymander; state officials defended it as lawful.
A federal judge denied a watchdog group’s request to temporarily block the Trump administration’s proposed anti-weaponization fund after the Justice Department said it is not moving forward. The judge warned government lawyers: “Don’t play possum with this court.”