House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) declared Monday that he will withhold his vote for renewing the nation's warrantless surveillance authority unless President Donald Trump removes Bill Pulte as acting Director of National Intelligence. The demand escalates an already contentious battle over Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).
“Reversing the Bill Pulte appointment is a starting point, not an ending point,” Jeffries told reporters, framing Pulte's ouster as a non-negotiable precondition for any deal on the surveillance program. The minority leader flatly stated there is “no” scenario in which he would support reauthorizing Section 702 with Pulte in charge.
Jeffries noted that FISA negotiations were already fragile before Trump elevated Pulte, a former Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) official with no national security or intelligence background, to lead the intelligence community. Disputes over whether the must-pass legislation should require a warrant to access communications of Americans incidentally collected during foreign surveillance had created deep divisions among lawmakers.
“Then Donald Trump, as he often does, tosses a hand grenade into those sensitive negotiations by elevating Bill Pulte as a director of National Intelligence, someone who’s a political hack, a malignant clown, and he’s woefully unqualified to serve in any position in the federal government, let alone as acting Director of National Intelligence,” Jeffries said.
The Democratic leader pointed to bipartisan criticism of Pulte, noting that Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) has also questioned Pulte's qualifications. “That’s not just the House Democratic caucus position,” Jeffries added. “The Senate Majority Leader John Thune has said that Bill Pulte is not qualified to be the acting director of National Intelligence.”
Pulte, who retains his role at the FHFA, has drawn controversy by referring numerous Trump adversaries for criminal prosecution, including Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Federal Reserve board member Lisa Cook, former Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.), and New York Attorney General Letitia James, alleging mortgage fraud. Critics argue these referrals are politically motivated and underscore Pulte's unfitness for the intelligence post.
The standoff comes as Congress faces a deadline to renew Section 702, which intelligence officials deem critical for national security. Some Republicans have also urged Trump to drop Pulte to salvage the surveillance law. GOP Rep. Bacon Urges Trump to Drop Pulte Pick to Save Surveillance Law, reflecting growing unease within the president's own party.
Jeffries's hard line threatens to derail reauthorization, potentially leaving the government without a key counterterrorism tool. The minority leader's conditions set the stage for a high-stakes confrontation as Trump shows no signs of backing down.
