President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw his original nominee for Director of National Intelligence (DNI) and replace him with a new candidate has created significant frustration among Senate Republicans and complicated ongoing legislative efforts in Congress.

Following the resignation announcement of current DNI Tulsi Gabbard, Trump initially selected Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte for the intelligence post.

The nomination immediately faced criticism from Democrats and skepticism from others because Pulte lacked prior intelligence or national security experience.Democrats also highlighted Pulte’s history of publicly targeting Trump’s political opponents with allegations of mortgage fraud.

The controversy surrounding Pulte’s nomination contributed to the collapse of bipartisan support for legislation that would have extended a surveillance authority allowing U.S.intelligence agencies to monitor foreign communications, including communications involving Americans, without obtaining a warrant.As opposition intensified, Trump ultimately abandoned Pulte’s nomination.On Thursday, shortly before Congress adjourned for recess, Trump announced Jay Clayton as his new nominee for DNI.

Clayton received a more favorable reception from lawmakers across party lines, but the timing of the announcement drew criticism from Senate Republican leaders.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune indicated that an earlier decision would have been preferable and could have helped lawmakers address the surveillance legislation before leaving Washington.According to the report, Republican leaders had spent days urging the White House to resolve the nomination issue.

However, because the replacement was announced only minutes before Senate business concluded and after the House had already left town, the change came too late to revive the surveillance bill.

As a result, the program is expected to expire, leaving Senate Republicans frustrated with the administration’s handling of the matter and facing additional challenges when Congress returns from recess.