President Trump asked Congress on Wednesday to pass a short-term extension of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which is set to expire Friday.
"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 said in a Truth Social post, and he stopped short of naming a permanent nominee while suggesting a nomination would eventually come.
Last week Trump announced he had selected Bill Pulte, the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, to serve as acting director of national intelligence in light of Tulsi Gabbard's planned departure later this month; Democrats have pledged to withhold their support for reauthorizing Section 702 as long as Pulte is set to assume control of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, and they criticized his record of making criminal referrals to the Justice Department alleging mortgage fraud by some of Trump's political foes.
Speaker Mike Johnson, Majority Leader Steve Scalise and other top House GOP leaders traveled to the White House on Wednesday morning to discuss a possible nomination, according to three people granted anonymity to describe their unannounced plans, and Trump met with Johnson on Tuesday and again on Wednesday at the White House.
Passing an extension in the Senate will require more than a dozen Democrats given the chamber's filibuster threshold, and Democratic votes are needed in the House as well; some Republicans also oppose the Section 702 program.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune said Wednesday that Republicans in his chamber will "do what's necessary to keep the program, keep the lights on."
Trump wrote that "FISA 702 is very important to our Military, and keeping the American People safe, especially during the World Cup and America250 Celebrations," in a post on Truth Social.
He also wrote, "[I] have asked him to execute the immediate and needed downsizing of the office, reverting staff to their home agencies. At the same time, I am looking for a permanent ODNI Nominee with experience in National Security."
Senate GOP leaders have encouraged the president to appoint a permanent director of national intelligence, and Majority Leader John Thune said the selection of a permanent intelligence chief would "play an important role in unlocking the support that we need to get FISA done," adding that "the president's decision making around those appointments are his decisions" and "we deal with it accordingly."