A dispute over the federal government's surveillance powers is testing House Speaker Mike Johnson's influence with President Donald Trump. Johnson, who has been a close ally of Trump, has visited the White House twice this week to address concerns regarding Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). This provision, which permits foreign surveillance without a warrant, was expected to pass in the Senate until objections arose from Democrats regarding Trump's appointment of Bill Pulte as interim intelligence chief.
Despite Johnson's efforts, the deadlock remains unresolved, with Congress facing a deadline to extend Section 702 before it expires on Friday. Trump has expressed support for Pulte, accelerating his appointment timeline, while Democrats are withholding their votes for the extension until they receive concessions from the president, citing Pulte's lack of national security experience.
Senator Mark Warner (D-VA), the leading Democrat on the Intelligence Committee, stated he would support an extension if Trump replaced Pulte with deputy intelligence chief Aaron Lukas. Meanwhile, Trump has publicly praised Johnson, stating he is doing an incredible job, although he appears resistant to meeting Democrats' demands regarding FISA.
Johnson is pushing for a vote on extending Section 702 and hopes to reach a compromise or that Democrats will relent under Republican pressure. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) has allowed Johnson to take the lead in discussions with Trump, although their relationship has faced challenges over various issues.
Johnson's relationship with Trump is characterized as symbiotic, with both relying on each other to advance their agendas. Some Republican representatives, including Lisa McClain (R-MI), have defended Johnson against claims that he is merely a 'yes-man' to Trump, emphasizing that they engage in open discussions. A spokesperson for Johnson affirmed his commitment to a productive working relationship with the president, highlighting the expectation for the governing party to work efficiently together. The White House has downplayed any notion of a rift between Johnson and Thune, expressing confidence in their collaboration with congressional Republicans.