A political standoff over the renewal of a key surveillance authority is intensifying in Washington as Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill urge President Donald Trump to quickly name a permanent director of national intelligence. The impasse threatens to allow Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) to expire on June 12, just as the United States hosts World Cup games and prepares for the nation's 250th anniversary celebrations.
Trump has resisted calls to appoint a permanent director, instead doubling down on his temporary pick, Bill Pulte, the federal housing finance regulator who has little intelligence experience. Democrats are withholding their votes for the FISA renewal, citing concerns over Pulte's appointment.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said Wednesday that Republican leaders have made their views known to the White House about the easiest path to pass the bill.
Trump asked for a short-term extension of the law to allow time for selecting and confirming a permanent head of the agency. However, Democrats, and some Republicans, want Pulte's appointment pulled immediately and for Trump to nominate a candidate who can be confirmed by the Senate.
Virginia Democrat Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate intelligence committee, called Pulte's appointment "a live hand grenade" as they try to pass the legislation.
Section 702 of FISA allows agencies like the CIA, NSA, and FBI to collect communications from foreign targets overseas without a warrant. While there is broad bipartisan support to renew the authority, Democrats are now blocking it due to concerns over Pulte.
Trump has said he is interviewing five candidates for the permanent director role, all with national security backgrounds. One possible replacement is Pete Hoekstra, Trump's ambassador to Canada and a former chairman of the House Intelligence Committee.
Trump announced Tuesday that Pulte would take over as acting director on June 19, earlier than expected. He stuck with Pulte on Wednesday, posting that he needed more time to find a permanent replacement and asking for a short-term extension.
House Speaker Mike Johnson said Trump is working hard to name a more permanent pick, possibly by the time Pulte takes over, and called it a "good faith gesture" that Democrats should accept.
The standoff could result in a significant gap in foreign intelligence collection, as warned by Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Tom Cotton and Sen. Chuck Grassley.
The administration should prepare for a potential lapse, they wrote in a letter. The impasse highlights the ongoing tension between national security needs and political maneuvering in Washington.