Trump Backs Clean 18-Month FISA Extension Amid Divisions

President Donald Trump voiced support on Wednesday for a clean, 18-month extension of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, a provision that authorizes warrantless surveillance of noncitizens abroad and is set to expire on April 20. The endorsement comes as House Republican leaders navigate internal divisions over the measure's renewal, with some conservatives pushing for additional privacy protections amid heightened national security concerns linked to ongoing military operations against Iran.

Section 702, enacted in 2008, enables U.S. intelligence agencies to target foreign individuals outside the country for communications data collection. While aimed at foreign intelligence, the program incidentally captures information on Americans, which agencies can access without a warrant under certain conditions. The last reauthorization in 2024 extended the authority for two years and included 56 reforms to curb potential abuses, such as restrictions on querying U.S. persons' data. Trump emphasized preserving those changes in his statement on Truth Social, saying, "When used properly, FISA is an effective tool to keep Americans safe. For these reasons, I have...