FISA Extension Blocked in the Middle of the Night

[Timber Rattler]

http://twitter.com/nicksortor/status/2045033778096078963

And in response Trump stupidly says THIS:

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 the giving up of my Rights and Privileges as a Citizen for our Great Military and Country! — @realDonaldTrump

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/trump-says-hes-willing-risk-205526211.html

https://www.military.com/daily-news/headlines/2026/04/16/trump-summons-gop-holdouts-spy-law-vote-stalls.html

A key U.S. surveillance program is suddenly stuck in a Republican revolt and President Donald Trump is scrambling to save it, bringing skeptical lawmakers to the White House as the April 20 expiration deadline closes in.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) delayed a planned House vote Wednesday after conservatives balked at a clean extension of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), exposing deep divisions inside the GOP over national security and civil liberties.

Trump summoned Republican holdouts to the White House this week in a last-ditch push to salvage the measure, underscoring growing concern inside Republican leadership that the bill cannot pass without direct presidential pressure.

Military.com reached out for comment to the White House, National Security Council, Defense Department, Office of the Director of National Intelligence and National Security Agency.

One of the clearest public “no” votes came from Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY). His office pointed Military.com to the congressman's X post, with Massie saying that he would vote against final passage if the bill does not include “a warrant provision and other reforms to protect U.S. citizens’ right to privacy,” adding that three amendments he offered “were not allowed” the night before.

(snip)

Behind closed doors, Trump pressed Republican lawmakers to fall in line as the vote hung in the balance just days before the deadline.

“Republicans must unify,” Trump said Tuesday, calling the program “vital” to protecting the country and supporting intelligence and military operations.

The White House meeting brought together skeptical conservatives who have resisted a clean extension of Section 702, citing concerns over warrantless surveillance and so-called “backdoor searches” of Americans’ data.

Pressure inside the conference intensified as Johnson struggled to lock down votes, with opposition from within his own party forcing leadership to rely on Trump’s direct intervention to try to push the measure across the finish line.

Gabbard raised issues with spy law Trump is pushing to renew

https://www.politico.com/news/2026/04/16/gabbard-trump-fisa-702-00877855

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard told President Donald Trump in early February she had reservations about reauthorizing a key spy authority without incorporating reforms to protect Americans’ privacy, according to two people with knowledge of the exchange.

She expressed her concerns to Trump during a White House meeting, as the president was still weighing his position, said the two people, who, like others in this report, were granted anonymity to share details of the sensitive policy discussions.

Gabbard’s appeal to the president was unsuccessful, and Trump has recently been urging Republican lawmakers to extend the program, known as Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, by another 18 months without changes.

In a statement, the White House said Trump’s “entire exceptional national security team is in lockstep with the president in advancing his efforts to achieve a clean reauthorization of FISA 702.”

Trump’s position on the statute marks the latest instance in which he has bucked the advice of Gabbard, one of his senior-most intelligence officials, or outright sidelined her as his administration has pursued some of the highest-profile foreign policy priorities.

[MeganC]

If FISA and the ill named Patriot Act are ended the Deep State will keep spying on us anyway. They answer to no one.

[Timber Rattler]

If FISA and the ill named Patriot Act are ended the Deep State will keep spying on us anyway. They answer to no one.

I don't get why Trump is suddenly scrambling to save it after personally getting attacked by it as a weapon, as well as countless other American Conservatives.

And a 5 year extension would conveniently boot it to the next Administration, which is Democrat, would be a return to the old status quo.  Why do that when you can kill it now????

“They try to bring us in all these classified briefings and tell us how DANGEROUS it is to have warrants to spy on American citizens.

The briefing that we're never going to get is, ‘hi, our agency has been given TOO MUCH power by Congress!” — Rep. Boebert

—

Asked about how this current FISA bill relates to the powers used to spy on President Trump’s campaign, Massie said:

“Today, I went in the SCIF and saw two TOP SECRET documents that showed this program is getting worse—NOT better!”

When I asked how extending FISA impacts everyday Americans, Massie replied:

“If you get on the government's naughty list—regardless of who is in the White House—they could put your name in this, find things about you, and then go recreate ANOTHER evidence trail to discover that because they're NEVER going to say they used FISA.”

Trump's response: