President Donald Trump has accused Democrats of attempting to extort him over the renewal of a key foreign intelligence surveillance law, as he refuses to withdraw the appointment of Bill Pulte as acting director of national intelligence. The standoff threatens a rare lapse in Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which expires at midnight on Friday, June 12, 2026.
The law allows U.S. intelligence agencies, including the CIA, NSA, and FBI, to collect communications from foreign targets overseas without a warrant.
Democrats have stated they will not support a short-term extension unless Trump nominates a permanent, qualified replacement for Pulte, whom they describe as a "disgraceful individual" and a "partisan political hack." Trump, however, has doubled down on Pulte, who currently leads the Federal Housing Finance Agency and has little intelligence experience. The president argues that Pulte is needed to downsize the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and that a short-term extension would provide time to select a permanent nominee.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, urged lawmakers to "do the right thing" and prevent the surveillance tool from going dark. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries countered that Trump must pull the Pulte appointment to secure any extension.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, a South Dakota Republican, acknowledged that GOP leaders have made their views known to the White House, but Trump has not relented. The impasse comes as the nation prepares for World Cup games and celebrations for the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
Intelligence Committee leaders from both parties, including Senator Tom Cotton and Senator Chuck Grassley, have warned the administration to prepare for a potential gap in foreign intelligence collection. Trump has said he is interviewing five candidates for the permanent director role, following the resignation of Tulsi Gabbard.
One possible nominee is Pete Hoekstra, the ambassador to Canada and former House Intelligence Committee chairman. The White House has reached out to Hoekstra, according to a person familiar with the discussions.
The House is expected to attempt a short-term FISA extension on Thursday, but passage is uncertain. The Senate may follow suit, hoping to prevent what could be an unprecedented lapse in the surveillance program.
Both parties blame each other for the potential interruption, which could limit intelligence collection abroad at a critical time.