Trump Demands House GOP to 'Kill FISA' Amid Surveillance Debate
Former President Donald Trump has called on House Republicans to oppose the renewal of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which is facing a reauthorization deadline of April 19. The legislation at the center of the debate, the Reforming Intelligence and Securing America Act (RISAA), spearheaded by House Intelligence Chair Mike Turner (R-Ohio), seeks to extend the act for five years with several reforms. One of the key reforms proposed includes a prohibition on using political opposition research or media reports as a basis for securing a warrant for spying on U.S. citizens, and the establishment of an after-the-fact audit of queries regarding Americans in the surveillance data, with civil and criminal penalties for misuse.
The bill has prompted mixed reactions within the Republican Party, with at least one member, Rep. Matt Gaetz, signaling he would vote against it. The legislation also faces scrutiny from privacy advocates and civil libertarians, who are pushing for a warrant requirement before the FBI can query the database for information about U.S. citizens. The current law permits warrantless surveillance of foreign individuals abroad but has been criticized for incidentally collecting communications of Americans without their knowledge.
This development adds pressure to House Speaker Mike Johnson as he works to secure support for the bill. Trump's opposition to the reauthorization bill is influenced by past allegations that FISA was misused against him and his associates. The House will soon vote on the rule for how the chamber will proceed with the bill, but the division within the Republican ranks and the need for bipartisan support make the bill's future uncertain. If the RISAA fails to pass, the Senate could move forward with a clean reauthorization of Section 702.
