Remove Trump’s Ludicrously Unqualified & Massively Dangerous National Intelligence Director

Trump just appointed his political attack dog, Bill Pulte, as acting Director of National Intelligence. Pulte has absolutely no experience in national intelligence, and was clearly offered the job based on his willingness to go after Trump's political adversaries. Thus far, this has included Senator Adam Schiff, NY Attorney General Letitia James, and Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook. He is even currently under investigation by the Government Accountability Office over whether he misused his authority at the Federal Housing Finance Agency to go after these “enemies.”

As acting Director of Intelligence, he now has the power to attack the pillars of democracy — by weaponizing surveillance, pushing spying agencies he oversees to conduct unlawful spying or otherwise allowing it, providing politically motivated surveillance directly to Trump, and even declassifying or leaking information acquired without a warrant about those who would challenge the administration.

Congress has very little authority when it comes to blocking an acting director, but it does have massive amounts of leverage right now. Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) is an intelligence-gathering law that is set to expire on June 12. The Trump regime is obsessed with getting it reauthorized. Congress can — and should — refuse to reauthorize the law until Pulte is removed from his position (and even then, only pass the law with guardrails to protect Americans from warrantless surveillance by this authoritarian regime).

Tell your Members of Congress you expect them to use all their leverage — including blocking FISA reauthorization — to remove Pulte.

Dear Senator/Representative,

I am writing today to ask that you use every single tool at your disposal to see Bill Pulte removed as acting Director of National Intelligence.

Pulte has absolutely no experience in national intelligence, and is clearly being offered the job based on his willingness to go after Trump's political adversaries. He is even currently under investigation by the Government Accountability Office over whether he misused his authority at the FHFA to go after these “enemies.”

In this role, Pulte poses a danger to our democracy and, because of his obvious inexperience, our national security. This is not an acceptable appointment for the head of the American intelligence apparatus.

You may not have a vote on this appointment, but you have leverage. This includes refusing to reauthorize Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act until he is removed.

And, particularly given that Trump has now shown his willingness to weaponize national intelligence, it’s more important than ever that once Pulte is removed, you work to ensure FISA is only authorized once significant guardrails are in place to protect Americans from warrantless surveillance.

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