{"id":256,"date":"2026-06-10T21:47:18","date_gmt":"2026-06-10T21:47:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/americanindustryreview.com\/?p=256"},"modified":"2026-06-10T21:47:18","modified_gmt":"2026-06-10T21:47:18","slug":"democrats-rebuff-trump-pitch-on-surveillance-authority","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/americanindustryreview.com\/?p=256","title":{"rendered":"Democrats rebuff Trump pitch on surveillance authority"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

Senate Democrats appeared ready to reject President Donald Trump\u2019s request for a short-term extension of a key surveillance authority Wednesday, arguing the president\u2019s promise to eventually find a permanent intelligence head wasn\u2019t good enough.<\/p>\n

Read more Platner clinches Democratic nod to take on Collins in Maine<\/a><\/p>\n

The action deepened a legislative standoff over Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which allows the U.S. government to collect digital communications of foreigners located outside the country.<\/p>\n

Statutory authority for the program expires Friday. But Democrats have vowed to hold up the renewal if Trump moves forward in appointing Bill Pulte as the acting director of national intelligence.<\/p>\n

Although Trump has doubled down on Pulte, he asked Congress in a Truth Social post Wednesday to pass a short-term extension to \u201cprovide time for the selection and confirmation of a permanent Head of the Agency.\u201d Pulte will take over as the temporary director June 19.<\/p>\n

GOP lawmakers began entertaining the idea of a three-week extension, and the Senate is expected to try and pass that by unanimous consent as early as Thursday. The House is also expected to vote on a short-term extension Thursday morning.<\/p>\n

But Democrats are expected to block both efforts, saying: No Pulte replacement, no deal.<\/p>\n

Senate Intelligence Vice Chairman Mark Warner, D-Va., said, \u201cMy support on even a short-term [extension] is that the administration follows the law.\u201d<\/p>\n

Warner is demanding that Trump appoint Aaron Lukas, principle deputy director of national intelligence, in Pulte\u2019s place until a long-term appointment is announced.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe law says if the DNI leaves, the acting takes its place. I can live with Mr. Lucas,\u201d he said. \u201cIf he is acting director during this short-term extension \u2026 I could be supportive.\u201d<\/p>\n

Similarly, Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., said Trump \u201chas, right in front of him, the solution to this problem. The deputy director of national intelligence is a capable, career, intelligent professional. He should be the acting DNI.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt makes no sense for Trump to try to jam an unqualified person into a position overseeing 18 different intelligence agencies at exactly the moment that Trump\u2019s illegal war against Iran is heightening the risk of a terrorist attack,\u201d Coons said. \u201cI will only support a short-term extension if a qualified intelligence professional is the acting DNI.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said he would not support a short-term extension \u201cas long as Bill Pulte is DNI.\u201d<\/p>\n

Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., who met with Trump Wednesday morning, said upon returning to the Capitol that Trump\u2019s proposal was a \u201cgood faith gesture to the Democrats,\u201d and that Trump is interviewing candidates for a permanent DNI pick.<\/p>\n

\u201cPerhaps between now and then the president may decide upon his final pick,\u201d Johnson said of Pulte\u2019s start date. \u201cHe is anxious to do that. He\u2019s working on it very hard.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more More fall House matchups set in California<\/a><\/p>\n

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said he thinks a short-term extension is the best way forward.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think until there\u2019s more clarity on what the long-term outlook is going to be for DNI and filling that position, that we\u2019re probably unfortunately stuck in a posture where we\u2019re going to be dealing with an extension,\u201d Thune said.<\/p>\n

Democrats on Wednesday dug more into their demand for a permanent replacement before they budge.<\/p>\n

Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., said he\u2019d vote against a short- or long-term extension until \u201cwe solve the Bill Pulte problem.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPutting a guy with zero experience or any relevant experience at all is the issue. Take him out, and then we can renew FISA,\u201d he said. \u201cIf you were to come up with a list of the million or 10 million most-qualified Americans, Bill Pulte would not be on that list.\u201d<\/p>\n

Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y., said in a floor speech Wednesday the law \u201crequires the DNI to have extensive experience in national security, but Pulte doesn\u2019t have any. DNI isn\u2019t an entry-level position. But Donald Trump is treating it like one.\u201d<\/p>\n

House Democrats won\u2019t budge either, said Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., Wednesday afternoon.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf Trump wants any shot at a short-term extension, he needs to pull back\u201d on Pulte as his pick, Jeffries said.<\/p>\n

Earlier Wednesday, Warner noted the math problem for Republican leadership: \u201cThere\u2019s people who are always opposed to 702 who would object\u201d plus the immovable folks on Pulte.<\/p>\n

For example, Sen. Christopher S. Murphy, D-Conn., said Wednesday he still has \u201cunderlying issues with the bill itself\u201d on warrant requirements, and Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., said he is also seeking further changes.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis location-tracking issue has become an emergency,\u201d Wyden told reporters.<\/p>\n

But it was clear that \u201cBill Pulte was the last straw for a number of senators, particularly Democrats,\u201d Wyden said.<\/p>\n

Warner, who had worked with GOP Judiciary Chairman Sen. Charles E. Grassley of Iowa and Intelligence Chairman Tom Cotton of Arkansas on a long-term extension, said he has \u201chuge concerns of Bill Pulte getting the keys to these 18 agencies, and what kind of damage,\u201d he\u2019d cause.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019d worked in great faith with our Republican friends and people in the White House, and both sides presenting options,\u201d Warner said. \u201cI think the president was presented with options that would have been acceptable, and God forbid this goes dark, it\u2019s totally the responsibility of Donald Trump.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more They want to rebuild Rayburn. First, they have to build enough support<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Senate Democrats appeared ready to reject President Donald Trump\u2019s request for a short-term extension of a key surveillance authority Wednesday, arguing the president’s promise to eventually find a permanent intelligence head wasn’t good enough. 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