Rep. Jim Himes Criticizes Appointment of Bill Pulte as Acting Director of National Intelligence
Lawmakers say the appointment could politicize intelligence and leave Section 702 renewal short of votes as the surveillance authority nears expiration.
- On Sunday, Representative Jim Himes of Connecticut, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, criticized President Donald Trump's appointment of Bill Pulte as acting director of national intelligence, calling it "the worst and most dangerous."
- This appointment complicates the reauthorization of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which expires Friday; the Senate blocked an extension last week amid concerns regarding warrantless surveillance.
- Republican senators including Sen. James Lankford and Senate Majority Leader John Thune joined Democrats questioning whether Pulte possesses the national security experience to oversee the nation's 18-agency intelligence apparatus.
- On Saturday, Tom Cotton of Arkansas and Chuck Grassley of Iowa asked Secretary of State Marco Rubio to "plan for a potential significant gap in foreign intelligence collection" if Section 702 lapses after Friday.
- President Trump defended the appointment as temporary, describing Pulte as "very smart," while critics highlighted Pulte's past use of the Justice Department to target political opponents at the Federal Housing Finance Agency.
32 Articles
32 Articles
Republican senators warn surveillance program may lapse after Trump intel pick backlash
WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans are warning the White House that a critical surveillance authority is likely to lapse this week amid bipartisan backlash over President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the nation’s intelligence community.
Why Trump picked Bill Pulte to lead US intelligence as critics question his qualifications
President Donald Trump selected FHFA Director Bill Pulte as acting Director of National Intelligence, elevating a housing finance regulator to a top national security post.
Republicans had the votes to save a critical law — until Trump ruined everything: report
For a brief moment, it looked like Congress was actually going to get something done.A bipartisan coalition of lawmakers had quietly assembled the support needed to pass a three-year extension of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, the surveillance authority that allows U.S. intelligence agencies to monitor foreign targets overseas, reported Politico.The deal wasn't perfect — members on both sides had reservations about war…
When billionaire Bill Pulte proposed himself as head of intelligence, Donald Trump agreed - only to expose him publicly two days later. The indignation about personality ended with a public embarrassment for the president.
Surveillance tools expiration bears down on Senate
Key pieces of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act will expire on Friday absent the White House or Senate Democrats relenting in a feud over President Donald Trump’s acting director of national intelligence. An extension needs at least 60 votes in the Senate, and Democrats want to use their leverage to get Bill Pulte replaced as interim DNI; they might be willing to let the warrantless spy powers lapse. “I know how important this tool is,” …
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