Trump's Actions Create GOP Midterm Hurdles
Trump's Retribution Obsession Creates GOP Headaches, Undermining Key FISA Extension
Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act — the law that lets U.S. spy agencies monitor foreign communications — is set to expire at midnight tonight, June 12, 2026, after the House failed to pass even a two-week extension Axios. The collapse was driven not by policy disagreement, but by Trump's decision to install Bill Pulte, a housing regulator with no security clearance, as acting Director of National Intelligence Washington Post.
The debacle is the latest in a string of self-inflicted wounds for Republicans heading into the November midterms. Seven Senate Republicans joined Democrats in blocking the FISA extension, citing fears of a "weaponized" intelligence apparatus Guardian. Senate Majority Leader John Thune put it bluntly: "We don't need a weaponized DNI" The Hill.
How Bill Pulte Derailed a National Security Vote
On June 2, Trump named Pulte — currently in charge of $10 trillion in assets at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac — as acting DNI Forbes. The DNI coordinates 18 separate intelligence agencies. Pulte has run none of them. He also lacks a security clearance, an almost unheard-of gap for the nation's top intelligence post TIME.
Democrats immediately refused to negotiate. Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut called the Pulte pick "a window into the White House's thinking" PBS News. Trump fired back, accusing Democrats of "extortion" for tying the FISA vote to Pulte's removal Fox Business. On June 11, Trump tried a last-minute fix, nominating former SEC Chair Jay Clayton as permanent DNI. It was too late to save the vote Forbes.
Gabbard Out, Pulte Moves In — Before He Was Supposed To
Outgoing DNI Tulsi Gabbard announced her resignation on May 22, with her last day set for June 30 Guardian. But on June 11, reports emerged that Pulte had already tried to "evict" Gabbard from her office — weeks before her departure date Forbes. The move added to the chaos surrounding the transition.
Trump has defended Pulte as a "battle-tested reformer" needed to "downsize" the intelligence community. Critics, including analysts at Just Security, argue the administration is turning the DNI from an advisory role into a political enforcement tool — one that could direct surveillance at domestic opponents Just Security.
Todd Blanche and a $2 Billion Slush Fund Scandal
The intelligence mess is not the only fire Republicans are fighting. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, installed on May 29, is under scrutiny for allegedly using a "Judgment Fund" — estimated at $1.8 to $2 billion — to compensate January 6 defendants Senate Judiciary Committee. Rep. Jamie Raskin introduced legislation on June 4 to block what he called a "Super Pardon" scheme House Judiciary Committee.
Blanche has also been forced to appear before a federal judge to insist the DOJ did not mislead the court in a related case. The proceedings have prompted calls for a special prosecutor, pulling attention and resources away from the department's core work USA Today.
A Lapse in Spy Powers — and a Midterm Warning
If Section 702 expires tonight, U.S. intelligence agencies will lose a key tool for monitoring foreign threats in real time. Officials have warned the timing is especially dangerous. Major public events — including the FIFA World Cup and celebrations for the U.S. 250th anniversary — are on the horizon PBS News.
For Republican incumbents, the bind is painful. Trump's base demands loyalty to Pulte. But moderate voters increasingly see the administration's moves as reckless. The failed 235-191 House vote on an earlier FISA extension in April showed just how thin the margins already were Nextgov. Another national security stumble this close to November could shift control of both chambers.
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