Senate halts FISA reauthorization as Trump DNI pick Pulte draws fury

The Senate has moved no closer to expanding the nation’s spy powers amid growing consternation over President Donald Trump’s choice to lead the nation’s intelligence agencies.

Nearly all Senate Democrats and six Senate Republicans banded together early Friday morning to block a procedural hurdle to reauthorize the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). This stumble comes as the deadline to take action against spy forces is fast approaching next week.

What was likely a bipartisan vote was marred by Trump’s choice to oversee national intelligence agencies as Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Bill Pulte.

CONGRESS EXTENDS Controversial Espionage Bill for Up to 45 Days After Senate Rejects House Bill

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R.S.D.) argued that Congress “cannot afford to fall into the dark” by not reauthorizing FISA, and hoped Senate Democrats might change their minds on the issue when the upper chamber returns next week.

Complicating matters for Thune is that Democrats will need to reauthorize FISA, given Republicans’ clear dislike of the program.

“Obviously we need the Democrats’ help, and I think this is a terribly irresponsible position that they’re taking,” Thune said. “But we’ll find out if that changes.

Pulte currently serves as director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency and was appointed by Trump earlier this week to replace former DNI Tulsi Gabbard, who left office last month.

THE HOUSE PASSES THE FISA RENEWAL BY BISIDE VOTES, PUTTING PRESSURE ON THE SENATE AHEAD OF THE DEADLINE

The election left Republicans scratching their heads and sparked outrage among Democrats.

Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, warned that Democrats would not support reauthorizing FISA if Pulte was in office.

“I don’t see how you’re going to get the necessary votes from the Democrats … that’s going to get them to 60,” Warner said.

Lawmakers are concerned that Pulte has no experience in intelligence and will be tasked with overseeing the nation’s 18 intelligence agencies in his DNI role.

HOUSE PUNTS TRUMP EXTENSION OF SPY FORCES AFTER CONSERVATIVES BLOCK DEAL WILL CHALLENGE THE MONTH-END BATTLE

Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., speaks at a 2025 Senate hearing in Washington. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

“I know what he does in the housing industry,” said Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska. “I’m not very familiar with why the president might have chosen him.”

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (DY) charged that Trump’s move to pick Pulte “appears to be a hastily thought-out collusion based on loyalty to Trump, not the security of our nation.”

“The timing of this announcement couldn’t be worse; FISA 702 is a little over a week away from expiring,” Schumer said. he said. “This announcement and its timing clearly make it much more difficult to approve the FISA extension.”

Meanwhile, Senate Republican leadership hopes to have the bipartisan bill completed and sent to the House before the June 12 deadline.

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD FOX NEWS APPLICATION

Pulte’s appointment further complicates the fight over FISA; This has led Congress to bet on the issue twice so far, particularly due to disagreements over the controversial Section 702.

The spy law fight is one of several horseshoe issues in Congress that has brought Democrats and conservatives together to push for stronger privacy protections. Section 702 allows the government to spy on foreign nationals abroad.

But nothing in the law prevents Americans from collecting data on them if they intercept those communications.