The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act’s Section 702 expired on Friday due to a lack of support for an extension in Congress, but President Donald Trump wants the SAVE America Act attached to the policy before it gets his signature.
The hesitancy to pass FISA came from some bipartisan desires for reform to the policy, arguing that it opens the door for American citizens to be surveilled, whereas many Democrats have been adamantly opposed to Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte being appointed acting director of National Intelligence.
“A few Dumocrats are against FISA, with or without Bill Pulte going to DNI, as Acting,” Trump posted to Truth Social on Sunday.
“What kind of a deal is that. Besides, I’m against FISA if it doesn’t come with The Save America Act (Full version!) firmly attached to it. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! Thank you for your attention to this matter,” he added.
The SAVE America Act has multiple provisions, buyet it’s primarily defined by a requirement for documentary proof of citizenship at the time of voter registration. The bill already passed the House but has some Republican opposition in the Senate.
Trump recently announced that Jay Clayton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, will be nominated to serve as DNI permanently, pending Senate confirmation. However, Trump also commented Sunday on the pushback to temporarily appoint Pulte, who is being tasked with shrinking the intelligence office. Pulte will be succeeding DNI Tulsi Gabbard, who stepped aside from the role due to her husband's cancer battle, on June 19.
“Why are the Dumocrats so afraid of Bill Pulte at DNI??? He would only be Acting! What do they have to be afraid of, what are they hiding? There must be something BIG, mustn’t there???” Trump posted.
Trump previously called for a brief extension to FISA.
"I am asking Congress to send me a short-term extension of FISA to provide time for the selection and confirmation of a permanent Head of the Agency," he posted Wednesday.
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