President Donald Trump is making an aggressive push to convince fellow Republicans to renew a surveillance authority he has repeatedly blamed for what he calls the most corrupt political targeting operation in American history.
The provision at stake is Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which grants the federal government the ability to conduct warrantless surveillance on foreign nationals operating outside the United States.
Trump fired off a post on Truth Social demanding Republican unity ahead of a critical procedural vote, and then went a step further — calling dissenting GOP lawmakers directly to the White House, according to Politico.
The president was careful to separate his personal grievances from his policy position, making clear that the FISA provision he is championing is not the one he believes was turned against him.
“I was a victim of the worst and most illegal abuse of FISA in our Nation’s History, by Radical Left Lunatics, who lied to the FISA Court to spy on my 2016 Presidential Campaign in their attempt to RIG the Election in favor of Crooked Hillary Clinton,” Trump wrote.
Trump placed the blame for that surveillance squarely on a different section of the law entirely.
“When the Dirty Cop, James Comey, the failed Head of the FBI, went after me, he was using FISA Title I, the Domestic Collection, not FISA 702, the Foreign Collection, which needs to be extended today,” he wrote.
Even with that distinction drawn, Trump acknowledged the personal risk he is accepting by championing any reauthorization of FISA.
“While parts of FISA were illegally and unfortunately used against me in the Democrats’ disgraceful Witch Hunt and Attack in the RUSSIA, RUSSIA, RUSSIA Hoax, and perhaps would be used against me in the future, I am willing to risk that as a Citizen in order to do what is right for our Country,” Trump wrote.
Trump connected the surveillance tool directly to active military operations currently underway.
“Our Military desperately needs FISA 702, and it is one of the reasons we have had such tremendous SUCCESS on the battlefield, both in Venezuela and Iran,” he wrote.
Trump said his administration has spent its entire second term working to implement reforms designed to prevent the kind of abuses he says he personally endured.
“Since the first day of my already Historic Second Term, my Administration has worked tirelessly to ensure these FISA Reforms are being aggressively executed at every level of the Executive Branch to keep Americans safe, while protecting our sacred Civil Liberties guaranteed by our Great Constitution,” Trump wrote.
The president stated that every military commander he has consulted has delivered the same message on the matter.
“The fact is, whether you like FISA or not, it is extremely important to our Military. I have spoken to many Generals about this, and they consider it VITAL. Not one said, even tacitly, that they can do without it — especially right now with our brilliant Military Operation in Iran,” Trump wrote.
The nation’s top uniformed military officer backed the president’s position in writing. General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, sent a letter to legislators warning of severe consequences if Congress fails to act, Politico reported.
“The loss or reduction of FISA section 702 authorities would increase risk to the Joint Force, degrade our worldwide combat lethality, and significantly impair U.S. security,” Caine wrote.
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley added his voice to the push for a clean extension, citing a transparency dispute that stretched back to the prior administration.
Grassley revealed that the Biden administration had blocked members of Congress from attending proceedings at the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court and the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court of Review — a restriction the Trump administration has since lifted.
“With Congress’s access fully restored, the Trump administration has faithfully implemented the reforms Congress called for in its last FISA reauthorization and proven its commitment to transparency and the protection of civil liberties,” Grassley said.
The Iowa Republican framed the April 20 expiration date as a hard deadline with real consequences for American safety.
“Section 702 is one of our nation’s most valuable national security tools. Especially given the current threat environment, it’s imperative Congress doesn’t allow this critical authority to lapse,” Grassley said.
Grassley directed his closing argument at the House, urging members to pass a straightforward extension without additional amendments attached.
“We must ensure American lives aren’t put at risk by a potential Section 702 expiration on April 20. The best path forward is for the House to pass a clean, 18-month FISA extension,” he said.
