Democrats Draw a Line Over Trump's Pick for Spy Chief

One of Washington's most relied-upon spy tools could go dark on Friday. Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act—a program officials say supplies more than half of the president's daily intelligence brief—is set to lapse, raising warnings from both parties that US national security could take a hit. The law lets the government compel tech and telecom companies to hand over communications tied to foreign targets abroad. A secret court has already signed off on its procedures through 2027, but without fresh authorization from Congress, intelligence agencies and providers could face immediate legal gray zones, Axios reports.

A short-term extension to July 2 is headed for a House vote Thursday but is expected to fail, with Speaker Mike Johnson short of the two-thirds needed. Leading Democrats say they won't support the extension unless President Trump backtracks on his move to tap businessman and loyalist Bill Pulte, who has no national security background, as acting director of national intelligence. "Bill Pulte cannot serve a minute," House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Wednesday, while Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer called him "vicious" and "incapable." Johnson has said it's "a very dangerous time" to be lacking an "important national security tool." However, the Brennan Center for Justice suggests telecom companies are likely to still comply with Section 702 given the risk of "heavy federal fines," per Reuters.