Senators warned that intelligence gaps could emerge if a key surveillance program expires.
Senate Democrats blocked extending surveillance authority over the Pulte appointment, seven Senate Republicans joined Democrats in resisting the surveillance law, the Senate blocked extending the program following backlash over a Trump pick to lead intelligence, and the spy-law extension was put at risk after the Senate voted against launching debate.
The authority, known as Section 702, is set to expire Friday and the Senate is expected to spend the coming days wrangling over whether to extend it.
President Trump's decision to install Bill Pulte as director of national intelligence has all but quashed chances of a long-term renewal for Section 702, and Democrats are pushing for Pulte's removal before supporting an extension, putting even short-term patches in serious doubt.
Sen. Mark Warner said in a CNN interview Sunday, "The idea that we're going to allow Mr. Pulte to be potentially in charge of how this tool is used or manipulated, that's going to be a very uphill path to convince Democrats. This was a self-inflicted harm." Warner said about 15 Senate Democratic votes were needed for a long-term deal and that very few senators were willing to give Pulte the benefit of the doubt.
Warner and other Democrats had been working with Republicans to pass a three-year extension, but the Pulte move prompted nearly every Senate Democrat to oppose a procedural vote on that deal early Friday morning.
Trump told the Wall Street Journal that he wants Pulte to conduct mass firings inside intelligence agencies.
Senate Judiciary Chair Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Intelligence Committee Chair Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) sent a letter to the administration over the weekend indicating it should prepare for a lapse in the authority.
Grassley posted on X Sunday evening that Democrats were putting Americans' safety at risk "RIGHT B4 WORLD CUP +AMERICA250" and urged them to "do what’s right for ALL Americans."
Both Warner and Rep. Jim Himes, the top House Intelligence Democrat, stopped short in Sunday-show interviews of saying they would allow Section 702 to expire if Pulte is not removed.