Senate Intelligence Chairman Tom Cotton (R-AR) shot back at a left-wing protester who interrupted a committee hearing, before apologizing to “lunatics” for comparing the heckler to them.
The Republican-led select committee had gathered Wednesday to question Jay Clayton, President Donald Trump’s pick to replace Tulsi Gabbard as the Director of National Intelligence (DNI), when shouting was heard from the back of the room:
“The Capitol Police will remove the annoying lunatic from the crowd,” Cotton directed, before sarcastically correcting his terminology.
“I apologize to lunatics for comparing that guy to them,” the senator joked, before thanking Clayton for his testimony.
Clayton, who served as chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) during Trump’s first term before coming to his current role of U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, was tapped to lead the intelligence community last month after Gabbard stepped down.
In her May resignation letter, Gabbard shared that her husband, Abraham Williams, had been diagnosed with a rare bone cancer.
“At this time, I must step away from public service to be by his side and fully support him through this battle,” the U.S. Army officer and former congresswoman explained.
Trump selected Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) Director Bill Pulte to serve as acting DNI in the interim, despite his not having any intel experience. After facing backlash from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, Trump quickly nominated Clayton.
“He’s intelligent, unlike a lot of other people,” Trump said about Pulte during an Oval Office press conference. “He’s only there for a little while. He’s running it for a short while, while we get a very talented person, Jay Clayton.”
Cotton has signaled that he supports Clayton’s confirmation, praising him in his Wednesday opening remarks for going after the “worst national security threats, including foreign enemies who put innocent Americans at risk and have American blood on their hands.”
With the Senate controlled by Republicans, he is likely to be confirmed.
Olivia Rondeau is a politics reporter for Breitbart News based in Washington, DC. Find her on X/Twitter and Instagram.
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