White House urged to engage as Bill Pulte pick threatens to derail spy powers renewal

White House Urged to Engage on FISA Reauthorization as Pulte Nomination Draws Opposition

The White House faces calls to intervene in negotiations over the reauthorization of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act ahead of a June 12 deadline. The appointment of Bill Pulte, currently director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency and chairman of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, as the next director of national intelligence has contributed to the impasse.

Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD), a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, stated that executive branch involvement may be required to secure passage. “The executive branch needs to assist us because we need to get 702 through and complete it,” Rounds told the Washington Examiner. “If this is in the way or is going to hold it up because of Democrat opposition, public Democrat opposition, I think we’re going to need the White House or the executive branch to get involved in helping us address the issue.”

Section 702 authorizes the collection of communications of non-U.S. persons located outside the United States without a warrant. The program has drawn criticism from members of both parties over its incidental collection of information involving U.S. persons. Pulte’s nomination has intensified Democratic concerns. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) cited Pulte’s record at the FHFA, where he directed criminal referrals related to mortgage fraud allegations against individuals viewed as Trump political opponents. “It appears that he has used his position, his government position in the past in order to weaponize government against Trump’s perceived enemies — that’s not the role of the director,” Warren said. “The role should be to serve the American people and help keep us safe.”

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) has indicated that Democrats may withhold support for any extension if Pulte remains the nominee. Reauthorization requires support from at least seven Democrats in the Senate to reach the 60-vote threshold to overcome a filibuster. In the House, previous renewal efforts have faced resistance from some Republicans who seek to add a warrant requirement for queries involving U.S. persons’ data.

Pulte has no prior experience in the intelligence community. As of June 4, several members of the House and Senate intelligence committees reported that they had not met or spoken with him. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), a former FBI supervisory special agent and member of the House Intelligence Committee, stated, “Never met him in my life. That’s part of the problem. I’m a career [intelligence community] guy. Never met him before.” House Intelligence Committee Chairman Rick Crawford (R-AR) similarly confirmed he had not met Pulte.

National security considerations have been raised by supporters of reauthorization. Richard Goldberg, a senior adviser at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said continued access to the program is necessary given ongoing U.S. military engagements involving Iran. “Oversight, checks and balances? Yes, absolutely. Cutting off the flow of intelligence and inviting another 9/11? Definitely not.”

White House spokesman Davis Ingle defended the nomination, stating, “Bill Pulte is a great selection and he will do a great job on behalf of the American people.” The statement also described Democratic threats to withhold support for FISA reauthorization as placing “America’s national security at risk.” Neither the White House nor Pulte responded to requests for comment on specific steps taken to build support for the nomination or the reauthorization measure.

The dispute occurs against the backdrop of separate Republican criticism of a proposed $1.776 billion administration fund related to countering government weaponization. Negotiations on Section 702 must conclude before the current authorization expires on June 12.