President Donald Trump is struggling to pass one of his most important nominations because of staunch opposition from Senate Republicans.
Because Democrats oppose the nomination of Bill Pulte as Director of National Intelligence, they are opposing the reauthorization of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which is making it harder for Trump to conduct basic intelligence missions.
“Congressional Republicans are largely leaving it to the administration to figure out a path forward after Trump’s decision to tap Pulte as Tulsi Gabbard’s temporary successor derailed an earlier agreement to extend the key spy authority for three years,” Politico reported on Monday. “But they are also nudging the administration to pick a different nominee to fill the role in a permanent capacity. Pulte is among the subjects Speaker Mike Johnson is expected to discuss with Trump at the White House Tuesday, according to two people granted anonymity to disclose plans for the private meeting.”
In addition to House Speaker Mike Johnson, Senate Judiciary Chair Chuck Grassley (R-IA) told Politico on Monday that “I’d like to be involved in the middle of it, but I think it’s strictly — the way things are going — between the Democrats and the White House. It’s all got everything to do with Pulte.” He also told reporters that Pulte is “temporary” and instead of him “the sooner the president gets somebody nominated, the sooner we’re going to be able to get 702 through.”
Similarly Senate Majority Leader John Thune told Politico on Monday that “at some point is going to have to come up with a nominee … that will be viewed by at least enough Democrats as sufficient to get their support.” Section 702 allows Trump to spy on targeted foreigners overseas, yet both Democrats and Republicans are worried Trump will use it to spy on fellow Americans.
“I’m familiar with some of the conversations that are happening around that,” Thune said about Pulte’s future. “I think I’ll let the White House speak to whatever the next plan might be there, but we can’t pass this on the floor without Democrats.”
Democrats oppose Pulte because they, as The Wall Street Journal reported, Pulte was chosen by Trump because of his reputation as someone who "moves fast and breaks things." Trump also told the Journal that he believes the Office of the Director of National Intelligence is “unnecessary and or too big” and wants Pulte to fire people who are linked to President Barack Obama’s and President Joe Biden’s administrations.
“I’d like to see it smaller,” Trump told the Journal. “I think there are a lot of people in there that shouldn’t be there.” He added he wants Pulte to “start the process” and that "his eventual nominee to serve in the role permanently should continue that work."
