President Trump vowed Wednesday that he will not allow Democrats to “extort” him into removing acting Director of National Intelligence William J. Pulte in exchange for their support for reauthorizing a key federal surveillance law.
Mr. Trump accused Senate Democrats of allowing the chief surveillance statute, known as FISA, to lapse in an attempt to force him to withdraw Mr. Pulte from the post.
The president, flanked in the Oval Office by members of Republican leadership from both chambers, said he told the GOP lawmakers, “We can’t let them extort us.” He said that Democrats “have done it on numerous occasions.”
Mr. Trump said Democrats are “losing tremendous support because they’re extorting on law and order. And they can’t win on law and order.”
The foreign surveillance law could expire Friday as Democrats block a bipartisan bill to reauthorize the key spy authority, over their concerns about Mr. Trump’s pick to temporarily lead the U.S. intelligence community. Some Republicans have also raised concerns about Mr. Pulte.
Democrats say Mr. Pulte, who serves as both acting DNI and director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, is “grossly unqualified” and a risk to national security.
“Someone who doesn’t even meet the basic qualification of the law to be director of national intelligence shouldn’t be put in that position, particularly when he’s got a history of already taking and weaponizing confidential information,” said Sen. Mark R. Warner of Virginia, the top Democrat on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.
The law requires the director of national intelligence to have “extensive” national security experience, but Mr. Pulte does not. His background is in investment and real estate.
Mr. Trump defended Mr. Pulte Wednesday as “smart” and capable of quickly adapting to the role, which he has insisted will be temporary.
“Smart people are smart people. I always say I’d rather have smart than experience, but experience is good, too,” the president said. “I would say he’s going to be there for a short while, while we pick somebody else.”
He added, “We’re interviewing five different people. They’re all very good, very different, and we’ll put somebody there.” He also said there is great interest in downsizing the office.
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