POLITICS

What does FISA stand for? Why does Donald Trump want to ban it?

A third attempt to reauthorize a bill touted as vital to national security was thwarted by GOP members in the House as Trump urges them to “kill” the law.

Tom BrennerREUTERS

Speaker Mike Johnson was dealt a stinging blow on Wednesday when members of his own party helped to block a bill that would have reauthorized a section of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or FISA. The law has been used by administrations of both parties to collect foreign communications data and has been touted as vital for national security.

Specifically, the extension of section 702, which allows warrantless surveillance of individuals, was blocked. “We cannot allow Section 702 of FISA to expire. It’s too important to national security,” Johnson said after the defeat saying that they would “regroup and reformulate another plan.”

Why does Donald Trump want to ban FISA?

Members of the Freedom Caucus, the hard-right of the Republican party, had already pledged to block the legislation to extend section 702. However, those members were joined by 19 other members of the House GOP hours after former President Trump urged lawmakers to “KILL FISA,” in a post on Truth Social.

“KILL FISA, IT WAS ILLEGALLY USED AGAINST ME, AND MANY OTHERS. THEY SPIED ON MY CAMPAIGN!!!”

Trump seems to be referring to when the FBI put surveillance on a former campaign adviser to his 2016 campaign Carter Page as part of the Russia investigation. However, that was under another section of FISA and was approved by a FISA court.

Investigators obtained permission to wiretap Page due to his web of Russian connections, including known spies, as Russia was meddling in the 2016 election to help Trump. He sued the FBI and Justice Department for damages for the year-long surveillance but a judge dismissed the case in 2022.

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