WASHINGTON — Lawmakers from both parties on Capitol Hill have urged President Donald Trump to quickly appoint a permanent intelligence director to help Congress extend crucial surveillance powers before they expire. However, Trump has refused to change course.
Instead, Trump has reinforced his support for his interim choice to oversee intelligence operations, federal housing finance regulator Bill Pulte, despite his limited background in the field. Democrats are blocking votes on renewing Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, commonly called FISA, which expires June 12. Trump requested Wednesday a brief extension of the legislation to “provide time for the selection and confirmation of a permanent Head of the Agency.”
This standoff may soon restrict the U.S. government’s foreign intelligence gathering capabilities as World Cup matches start across the nation and before festivities marking America’s 250th anniversary.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., stated Wednesday that GOP leadership has “made our views known” to the White House regarding the simplest path to pass the legislation, and “we’re just doing what we can here to ensure that the White House understands what will be necessary in order to make that happen.”
Trump announced Friday he is interviewing five potential candidates for the permanent agency leadership role, all with national security credentials.
“It’s an important position and one that I think will be filled by a highly qualified person,” stated House Speaker Mike Johnson, who met with Trump recently about the FISA deadlock.
However, securing FISA votes requires swift action — and Trump’s selection must appeal to lawmakers from both parties.
Among potential successors is Pete Hoekstra, Trump’s ambassador to Canada and former House Intelligence Committee chairman. The White House has contacted Hoekstra regarding the position and discussions continue, according to someone familiar with the outreach who requested anonymity to discuss private talks.
FISA’s Section 702 permits agencies like the CIA, National Security Agency and FBI to gather communications from foreign subjects abroad without warrants.
Although lawmakers from both parties citing privacy concerns have long sought to restrict this authority, broad bipartisan backing exists for its renewal, particularly after recent compromise legislation. Yet Democrats now withhold support due to Pulte concerns.
Mark Warner of Virginia, the leading Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, helped craft the compromise bill with Republicans. But he labeled Pulte’s selection to succeed outgoing DNI Tulsi Gabbard “a live hand grenade” for passage efforts. GOP leaders attempted to begin the process last week, but seven Republicans joined nearly all Democrats in preventing a long-term extension.
Warner declared Wednesday his only condition for backing a temporary surveillance law extension is having principal deputy director of national intelligence Aaron Lukas serve as acting leader throughout that period.
Sen. Tom Cotton, the Senate Intelligence Committee chairman, and Sen. Chuck Grassley, Senate Judiciary Committee chairman, have cautioned the administration that the surveillance tool will likely expire.
The administration should prepare “for a potential significant gap in foreign intelligence collection,” they stated in correspondence.
Following bipartisan resistance to Pulte’s interim appointment, Trump said last week he would not permanently nominate him. But Democrats and some Republicans want his appointment withdrawn immediately and Trump to nominate a Senate-confirmable replacement.
Tuesday, however, Trump declared Pulte would not only become acting director — he’d begin sooner than planned, on June 19. Trump maintained support for Pulte Wednesday, posting he needed additional time to locate a permanent successor and requesting a brief extension.
“FISA 702 is very important to our Military, and keeping the American People safe, especially during the World Cup and America250 Celebrations,” Trump wrote.
Trump said Pulte would reduce the agency’s size and blamed Democrats for delaying surveillance authority renewal.
Senators from both parties questioning Pulte cite his intelligence experience deficit and Federal Housing Finance Agency record. In that role, he’s been connected to criminal referrals regarding mortgage fraud allegations against public officials Trump wanted to target, including New York Attorney General Letitia James, a Democrat; Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif.; and Lisa Cook, a Federal Reserve board member.
Whether sufficient votes exist for temporary surveillance powers extension remained uncertain as Trump disregarded bipartisan pressure to withdraw Pulte’s appointment.
After a White House ceremony Wednesday, Johnson told reporters the president is “working very hard” to select a permanent ODNI leader — possibly before Pulte assumes the role.
Johnson described it as a “good faith gesture” from Trump that Democrats should accept for a short-term FISA extension agreement.
Trump made clear, Johnson said, that Pulte will serve a “very short term – a sort of renovation role” to help the Office of the Director of National Intelligence be “renovated and downsized.”
