Donald Trump is urging reluctant Republicans to renew a surveillance measure that records conversations American citizens have with foreign nationals despite his previous opposition to the practice.
The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) has a component called Section 702 that allows the warrantless surveillance of non-citizens believed to be outside of the US.
However, in practice the controversial authority gives US intelligence services access to conversations Americans have with those outside of the mainland.
Republicans have for years tried to oppose the measure’s renewal because it’s been abused in the past, particularly to target Trump. It will expire on April 20 if Congress does not vote to renew Section 702.
The tool was used to spy on the President’s inner-circle during his 2016 campaign and he has long lambasted the provision for enabling government officials to dig into his orbit.
‘Kill FISA, it was illegally used against me, and many others. They spied on my campaign!’ Trump wrote in April 2024 when Section 702 was up for renewal.
But now the President has changed his tone and he is prodding conservatives wary of its vast powers to renew the provision due to the ongoing Iran war.
‘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,’ Trump wrote on social media Tuesday afternoon.
President Donald Trump is calling on Republicans to support the renewal of a controversial surveillance law that can record the conversations of everyday Americans
FISA Section 702 allows for intelligence services to surveil communications of non-US citizens believed to be outside the country. However, it also sweeps up conversations had by US citizens should they be talking to people outside the US
Republican Congresswoman Lauren Boebert has signaled her opposition to renewing FISA Section 702
‘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.’
The President met Speaker Mike Johnson at the White House on Tuesday to discuss the provision, which faces significant opposition within the Republican base.
‘I am working very hard with our Great Speaker, Mike Johnson, along with Chairman Jim Jordan and Chairman Rick Crawford, to get a clean extension of FISA 702 through the House of Representatives this week,’ Trump added.
That opposition was swift and vocal. ‘No FISA reauthorization without a warrant requirement for US citizens!’ Kentucky Republican Thomas Massie posted on X.
Congresswoman Lauren Boebert went further: ‘An NSA analyst used Section 702 surveillance powers to spy on Americans he met on a dating app. This is exactly the kind of abuse that happens when we hand unchecked power to the intel community. No more treating Section 702 like a personal Tinder search. GET. A. WARRANT.’
Tennessee Republican Andy Ogles has claimed FISA allows authorities to ‘spy on nearly every influential conservative through the DOJ.’
