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In this Just the News article, Ben Whedon reports that Section 702 surveillance powers have temporarily lapsed amid a standoff over President Trump’s acting DNI pick, but lawmakers may restore them within days.
- Congress allowed Section 702 of FISA to expire Friday evening after the House failed to pass a short-term extension.
- Section 702 permits warrantless surveillance of foreigners overseas, but critics warn it can sweep up Americans’ communications in the process.
- The House rejected the extension 218–198 after nearly 20 Republicans joined Democrats in opposition.
- While Section 702 has long faced opposition from privacy hawks, this lapse appears tied largely to concerns over Trump’s choice of Bill Pulte as acting Director of National Intelligence.
- Trump had selected Pulte, head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, to temporarily replace outgoing DNI Tulsi Gabbard while also remaining in his FHFA role.
- Democrats objected to Pulte’s lack of intelligence experience and feared he could politicize ODNI, especially given his past criminal referrals involving Trump opponents.
- After the House vote failed, Trump announced Jay Clayton, former SEC chairman and current U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, as his permanent DNI nominee.
- Sen. Mark Warner praised Clayton as a capable public servant but said lawmakers still need assurances that Pulte will not serve as acting DNI during the transition.
- Clayton is scheduled for a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing Wednesday, while Pulte is expected to take over as acting DNI Friday, making a brief Pulte tenure still possible.
- The article notes that Section 702’s future remains complicated by broader privacy concerns, including improper searches involving Americans’ information, while Trump supports a clean extension.
Read the full story: https://justthenews.com/politics-policy/wkdspy-powers-lapse-amid-dni-standoff-could-return-days
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