US President Donald Trump's nomination of Jay Clayton as the new Director of National Intelligence (DNI) has sparked a showdown over the renewal of a crucial surveillance law, Section 702, which expired on June 12th.
Clayton, a former US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, is seen as a more sober choice than his predecessor, Bill Pulte, who had no national-security experience.
The law, which allows the National Security Agency (NSA) to surveil foreigners' messages without individual warrants, has been a contentious issue, with civil liberties advocates pushing for reforms and Democrats opposing its renewal without changes.
Trump's nomination of Clayton comes as the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) is facing a significant downsizing, with the agency's staff expected to be cut by more than 40%.
The ODNI was created in 2005 to promote sharing among intelligence agencies, but it has struggled to assert its authority and has been criticized for being bloated.
Trump's move to shrink the agency has been seen as a bid to empower the CIA, with some analysts predicting that the agency will gain more power and influence as a result.
