As Trump sticks with Pulte, foreign surveillance program hurtles toward expiration

The U.S. House on Thursday rejected a proposal to extend a key foreign surveillance program through July 2, as Democrats continued to withhold support over President Donald Trump's choice of Bill Pulte as acting director of national intelligence. The program will expire on Friday.

Trump tapped Pulte for the role earlier this month, setting off bipartisan backlash. Pulte is currently the head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency and has used his perch to launch probes into several of Trump's political opponents over allegations of mortgage-related wrongdoing. He has no prior national security experience.

House Democratic leaders came out against the short-term reauthorization ahead of Thursday's planned vote, effectively dooming the measure. Speaker Mike Johnson was attempting to approve it under a procedural tool for normally used for non-controversial bills that requires support from two-thirds of the House.

The measure failed by a vote of 198-218.

"Section 702 is a critical foreign intelligence authority, but we cannot in good conscience vote for reauthorization without significant reforms to protect both national security and the constitutional privacy rights of Americans," House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., Minority Whip Katherine Clark, D-Mass., Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., House Select Committee on Intelligence ranking member Jim Himes, D-Conn., and House Judiciary Committee ranking member Jamie Raskin, D-Md., said in a joint statement.

"Bill Pulte has no relevant national security experience. Consequently, his appointment is in defiance of the law that requires the Director of National Intelligence to have 'extensive' national security experience," the Democratic leaders continued. "The apparent motivation for his elevation is the demonstrated willingness of Bill Pulte to search government databases for alleged dirt on President Trump's chosen political enemies."

Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act allows the government to collect the communications of people outside the U.S., including when they are interacting with Americans. It's a controversial program, particularly to privacy hawks who worry about the data of U.S. citizens getting swept up by the government. But proponents say it's a vital national security tool.

"FISA, let me remind you ... is how we surveil terrorists who are trying to hurt Americans. It is a very important, vital national security tool," Johnson told reporters outside of the House chamber on Wednesday.

Lawmakers had been negotiating a multi-year extension to the program last week, but the Senate quashed that effort on Friday after Trump announced Pulte as his DNI pick on a temporary basis.

Some Republicans, like Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska, who is retiring at the end of this Congress, called on Trump to rescind his pick to pave the way for passage. But Trump this week doubled-down on his pick, saying in a TruthSocial post on Wednesday that Pulte would take over the role on June 19 and calling for a short-term FISA patch.

"FISA 702 is very important to our Military, and keeping the American People safe, especially during the World Cup and America250 Celebrations. If nothing is done, this important Law will expire this week. 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," Trump wrote.