Back-to-back 'Trump-induced' headaches snarl GOP agenda

The past several weeks have been a legislative nightmare for the GOP, as both party infighting and the actions of President Donald Trump have foiled and stalled key priorities. Now, writes Politico congressional reporter Mia McCarthy, “Republicans are about to put one Donald Trump-induced headache behind them — but another is right behind it.”

The issues at the center of these difficulties are the immigration budget reconciliation bill and FISA spy powers, both of which have been grappled over for months as Trump has complicated their passage.

On Tuesday, it is expected that the House will submit the former to the president for approval. Assuming that he signs off, it will be cause for Republicans to breathe a sigh of relief, as the struggle over the bill has been a long and embarrassing fight, with the airport chaos caused by a lack of DHS funding several months ago fanning talk of the headwinds the party faces heading into the midterms.

But even if he does sign it, the GOP’s Trump-inspired headache appears likely to persist as he has “all but quashed” chances of passing the FISA extension by appointing Bill Pulte as Director of National Security, which even conservative lawmakers have admitted is a blatant effort to weaponize the role. Pulte not only has no experience in national intelligence, but has a track record for helping Trump advance the persecution of his enemies.

As Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SC) declared, “We don’t need a weaponized DNI; we need professionals there… If he’s somebody they want in that position permanently, he’s got a lengthy road ahead of him.”

Critics say that the contested FISA provision would provide such a Trump loyalist with a powerful tool for spying on his opponents, as the primary concern that has previously barred its passage was its allowance for the warrantless surveillance of communications. Now for it to advance before its Friday deadline, it will require substantial support from skeptical Democrats, putting the legislation in jeopardy.

“The idea that we’re going to allow Mr. Pulte to be potentially in charge of how this tool is used or manipulated, that’s going to be a very uphill path to convince Democrats,” said Senator Mark Warner (D-VA), the top Senate Intelligence Democrat. “This was a self-inflicted harm.”

Warner had been collaborating with Republicans to pass a three-year extension, but Pulte’s appointment has torpedoed the effort, particularly after Trump announced his intention to have Pulte conduct mass firings within the intelligence branches. While Democrats haven’t quite gone so far as to say outright that they would bar the extension over Pulte, congressional Republicans have been admitting that its passage appears unlikely.

According to McCarthy, “The path is extremely narrow. About 15 Senate Democratic votes needed, Warner said, and very few are willing to give Trump and his hand-picked new intel chief the benefit of the doubt.”

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