On June 17, Trump posted on his Truth Social account that “we are cancelling the Senate Hearing RE: DNI today” for his director of national intelligence nominee Jay Clayton, citing an agreement between congressional Republicans and Democrats to “remove” Bill Pulte from the acting DNI role. He also noted that he would not approve FISA extensions without the SAVE America Act attached; the bill would create draconian new rules on registering to vote.

Politico notes that the decision to delay Clayton’s Senate hearing “paves the way for close political ally Bill Pulte to move into the acting DNI role Friday, something members of both parties had been hoping to forestall by quickly confirming Clayton.” Members of both parties have said that Pulte is unqualified for the post. Pulte is a “scion of a real estate construction empire with no national security experience whatsoever” who was chosen for his “willingness to creatively deploy his authority to go after the president’s enemies."

Trump’s moves echo what has been said in recent days on Steve Bannon’s War Room program.

Indeed, from the moment Pulte’s appointment was announced, Bannon was clear — he “dare[d]” senators to block FISA renewal over it.

Bannon expressed interest in delaying Clayton’s appointment to let Pulte “rummage” around, saying, “We support Jay Clayton over at DNI, but I think it would give brother Bill Pulte — I don't know. Give Pulte a couple of weeks. Let him just rummage around and see what's going on. Check it out.” Moments later, he tied that to reporting from Politico and MS NOW’s Rachel Maddow that Democrats “are war-gaming legal maneuvers and messaging strategies to thwart potential efforts by President Donald Trump or foreign actors to influence the results of the midterms."

Bannon also had a discussion with GOP Nevada secretary of state nominee Jim Marchant in which they stressed the need for the SAVE America Act before concluding by linking their concerns about supposed stolen elections to the DNI office. Marchant remarked that he trusted that Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard was looking into election issues and that this process was “grinding through the system” out of sight.

Bannon and former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows — who, while chief of staff, reportedly asked the acting attorney general to investigate the conspiracy theory that “people in Italy had used military technology and satellites to remotely tamper with voting machines in the United States” during the 2020 election — discussed attaching FISA reauthorization to the SAVE America Act, agreeing with and crediting Center for Renewing America senior fellow Ken Cuccinelli with the idea, with Bannon saying, “The deep state wants the holy relic of FISA so much.”

Bannon also complained that “heaven and earth” are being moved “to make sure Pulte doesn't take over as acting DNI next Friday. They're going to waive every waiver they've got on Capitol Hill to make sure they can jam in Jay Clayton.”

Railing against efforts he framed as telling Trump he “can’t have Pulte,” Bannon also made it clear that this is about elections, saying, “Bill Pulte is the perfect choice, the perfect choice to run DNI right now. It also shouldn't be lost on anybody that these elections, the stolen elections, which they're now in your face of how they're going to do it with the mail-in ballots. They're not shy about this. They're going to steal in broad daylight in Los Angeles, and they don't give a damn what you've got to say. That Tulsi Gabbard had a terrific start in getting to the bottom of the stolen elections of 2020. I think, you know, Bill Pulte might, might, might, might follow-up on that.” Bannon also said that “if FISA goes away … so be it.”

On June 17, The New York Times examined how national intelligence officials are bracing for Pulte and more attempts to “influence the midterm elections.”