Senate Republicans Said Trump’s Pulte Nomination Created The FISA Roadblock— And Told The White House To Fix It. Now They’re Going Home, Blaming Democrats, And Letting FISA Expire

Their Own Words Tell The Story: Senate Republicans Said Trump Needed To Name A Permanent, Qualified DNI Nominee To Break The FISA Impasse

Leader John Thune (R-SD): “I think that getting some certainty and closure on that issue about who that might be will play an important role in unlocking the support that we need to get FISA done.” [Stakeout, 6/9/26]

Leader John Thune (R-SD): “The White House is going to have to figure something out” [Punchbowl News, 6/9/26]

Leader John Thune (R-SD): “The administration, probably, at some point is going to have to come up with a nominee — a permanent nominee” [Punchbowl News, 6/9/26]

Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY): “We encourage them to name a full-time nominee.” [Semafor, 6/9/26]

Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX): “I'm still seeking any evidence of qualifications, and Democrats are not going to vote to pass 702 until he's withdrawn and we need that done.” … “This is up to the president.” [Semafor, 6/8/26]

Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX): “I want the president to succeed, but sometimes he undermines his own position.” [Punchbowl News, 6/9/26]

Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-ND): “Maybe he’s not being served as well by advisers as he was in the first term, because some of this stuff does seem like unforced errors.” [NOTUS, 6/5/26]

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA): “The sooner the president gets somebody nominated, the sooner we’re going to be able to get 702 through.” [Politico, 6/8/26]

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK): “I don’t think he thinks about the impact on us and the timing, which is unfortunate because it really has had an impact. Quite honestly, I’m worried about what we’re going to do on FISA.” [Alternet, 6/8/26]

Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD): “The executive branch needs to assist us because we need to get 702 through and complete it.” [Washington Examiner, 6/4/26]

Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC): “He's not fit to be DNI. The timing of this nomination couldn't have been worse, when we're in the middle of trying to get section 702 reauthorized” [NBC News, 6/3/26]

Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC): “I think it creates a distraction because now you’re going to ask people to vote on something that a DNI has a role in. I don’t know why, given that we were so close, why they would have created that additional potential hurdle.” [NOTUS, 6/2/26]

###