Bill Pulte assumes role of US acting director of national intelligence

A powerful US surveillance law is set to expire at midnight tonight because Congress failed to act. This inaction is reportedly due to unhappiness over President Trump's selection for intelligence chief. The article also notes that about half of evangelical Christians, a key part of Trump's base, believe his administration's policies on the Iran war and immigration enforcement do not align with their Christian beliefs, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll. Evangelicals were instrumental in Trump's 2024 election victory, and he and his officials have frequently used religious language to describe their objectives.

Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (Fisa), a powerful US surveillance law, is set to expire due to Congress's failure to reauthorize it. This provision, enacted in 2008, allows agencies to collect communications of foreigners abroad without a warrant, but privacy advocates argue it sweeps up Americans' data unconstitutionally. Recent debates over its future were amplified by Donald Trump's controversial nomination for Director of National Intelligence. Despite short-term extensions, Congress has been unable to pass longer renewals due to disagreements over reforms, particularly a warrant requirement for accessing Americans' communications. While some lawmakers and the Trump administration express concern about a lapse, privacy advocates maintain existing certifications remain valid and push for reform.

A key U.S. government surveillance program, Section 702 of FISA, which allows agencies to collect foreign communications without a warrant, is set to expire after bipartisan congressional efforts to extend it failed. U.S. officials consider it vital for national security, citing its role in preventing terror attacks and gathering intelligence. However, the program has faced criticism from civil liberties advocates concerned about the incidental collection of Americans' communications and past instances of improper data queries. The renewal debate has been complicated by political disagreements, including concerns over President Trump's acting intelligence nominee, Bill Pulte. Despite the expiration, a court order from March allows the surveillance powers to remain in effect for another year, mitigating an immediate lapse. Lawmakers are currently in recess, and it is unclear when they might reconvene to address the program's reauthorization.

President Donald Trump announced he will nominate federal prosecutor Jay Clayton to be the next Director of National Intelligence (DNI). This decision follows significant pushback regarding Trump's earlier selection of Bill Pulte as acting director. Pulte, who heads the Federal Housing Finance Agency, lacks intelligence or military experience, prompting Democrats to threaten withholding foreign intelligence powers and some Republicans to urge Trump to reconsider. Pulte's acting appointment would have allowed him to serve up to 210 days without Senate confirmation. Trump praised Clayton, currently a US attorney for the Southern District of New York and former SEC chairman, as highly respected in the legal community and encouraged the Senate to confirm him quickly. The nomination comes after Trump advised Pulte to cut staff within the intelligence community oversight office.

President Donald Trump has nominated Jay Clayton, former chair of the US Securities and Exchange Commission and current US attorney for the Southern District of New York, to be the country's top intelligence official. This nomination follows widespread criticism of Trump's earlier decision to appoint Bill Pulte as acting director of National Intelligence, a role Trump stated would be short-term. Trump expressed his desire for the Senate to confirm Clayton promptly. Clayton's experience includes overseeing significant prosecution cases as US attorney in Manhattan and leadership at the law firm Sullivan & Cromwell. The article also mentions that Tulsi Gabbard needed to leave the post of Director of National Intelligence due to her husband's cancer treatment.

The renewal of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), a law enabling U.S. intelligence gathering abroad, is at risk due to President Trump's continued appointment of Bill Pulte as acting Director of National Intelligence. Democrats have stated they will not support the FISA extension unless Pulte's appointment is withdrawn and a permanent nominee is put forward. Despite bipartisan calls for a more experienced candidate, Trump has defended Pulte, who has limited intelligence experience and a controversial record at the Federal Housing Finance Agency. Congress is attempting a short-term extension, but its passage is uncertain, potentially leading to a lapse in critical surveillance capabilities. The law is set to expire at midnight on Friday.

President Donald Trump announced his intention to nominate Jay Clayton, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York and former SEC chairman, as the Director of National Intelligence. This nomination comes amid congressional pressure for a permanent replacement for Tulsi Gabbard and a standoff over the acting director, Bill Pulte. Democrats have threatened to block the renewal of foreign intelligence powers unless Pulte's nomination is withdrawn and a permanent nominee is named. Trump praised Clayton's legal standing and urged the Senate to confirm him quickly. Senate Republicans indicated they could move swiftly on the nomination if paperwork is submitted promptly, while Democrats stated Pulte must be removed from the acting role.

The US House of Representatives failed to pass a short-term extension of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (Fisa) on Thursday. The measure failed in a 198-218 vote after Democrats announced they would block the renewal. This protest stems from President Trump's appointment of Bill Pulte, a Republican donor with no relevant national security experience, as acting director of national intelligence. Democrats stated Pulte's appointment appears motivated by a willingness to search government databases for political enemies. While the law's most powerful section, 702, will lapse, a Fisa court certification allows collection to continue. A similar three-year extension also failed in the Senate last week.

President Donald Trump has directed interim Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) appointee William Pulte to downsize the agency upon his assumption of the role on June 19th. Trump announced this directive via Truth Social, stating Pulte is tasked with reducing staff and returning personnel to their home agencies. Pulte, a businessman with no intelligence or military background, has faced criticism from Democrats who question his qualifications and view him as a Trump loyalist. Trump also indicated he is seeking a permanent ODNI nominee with national security experience. Pulte will succeed Tulsi Gabbard, who resigned last month. This interim appointment has become a point of contention in Congress, with Democrats refusing to renew a surveillance measure until a permanent selection is made.

Donald Trump is proceeding with his plan to appoint Bill Pulte as acting director of national intelligence, a move that has drawn bipartisan criticism and jeopardizes the renewal of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) Section 702, set to expire soon. Trump announced Pulte, described as a political loyalist with no national security experience, would take over on June 19th, while remaining head of a federal mortgage agency. Lawmakers, including House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, argue Pulte is unqualified and could misuse spying powers against political opponents, stating Democrats will not support FISA reauthorization if Pulte is appointed. Concerns exist that Pulte has previously used his access to financial information to target perceived adversaries of Trump.

President Trump met with House Speaker Mike Johnson at the White House amid concerns that the reauthorization of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act is at risk. This controversial surveillance law, which allows U.S. intelligence agencies to collect foreign targets' communications overseas without a warrant, is set to expire by Thursday. The impasse is linked to Trump's appointment of Bill Pulte, a political loyalist with no intelligence background, as acting Director of National Intelligence. Some Republicans believe nominating a permanent DNI is the only way to save the law. Despite the urgency, bipartisan support for renewal has collapsed due to civil liberties concerns, making a permanent nominee the most plausible path forward.