President Donald Trump signaled he is prepared to use one of Washingtons most powerful surveillance authorities as leverage to push a stalled Republican voter ID bill through Congress.
Speaking with reporters aboard Air Force One, the president was asked about Florida Republican Rep. Anna Paulina Lunas strategy to tie renewal of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) to passage of the SAVE America Act, a sweeping election integrity measure. According to WND, Luna had floated the idea earlier in the week as conservatives grow increasingly frustrated with Democrat resistance to basic voter identification requirements. On FISA, Mr. President, Anna Paul[ina] Luna is pushing to have the SAVE America Act linked to FISA in the FISA Renewal. Are you in favor? Daily Caller reporter Reagan Reese asked the president.
I think shes great, and Id love to see that, the president responded, endorsing both Lunas effort and the broader push for election reforms. The SAVE America Act is so important, its so good. Its voter ID, its basics about a Democracy, voter ID, birthplace.
The president emphasized that the legislation goes beyond identification rules and addresses cultural flashpoints that have galvanized conservatives nationwide. He noted that provisions regarding transgender mutilization [] of minors and men competing in womens sports, among other items, were highlighted in the bill.
Trump also stressed that the measure would sharply restrict the use of mail-in ballots, which many Republicans view as a major vulnerability in the electoral system. We also have no mail-in ballots other than for the military, et cetera, if youre sick if youre away, if youre disabled, any of those things, its pretty generous, actually, Trump continued. But, [there is] tremendous cheating that goes on with the mail-in ballots, so we would have no mail-in ballots except for those various exceptions.
His remarks came after the Senate approved a short-term extension of FISA Section 702, keeping the authority in place until April 30 while lawmakers negotiate reforms. Talks have been slowed by conservative demands for stronger guardrails, including warrant requirements and bans on the government purchasing Americans data from private brokers.
Despite being targeted with FISA abuses during his first presidential campaign under a now-discredited narrative, the president publicly backed a clean extension of Section 702 on Wednesday. I am willing to risk the giving up of my Rights and Privileges as a Citizen for our Great Military and Country! Our Military Patriots desperately need FISA 702, and it is one of the reasons we have had such tremendous SUCCESS on the battlefield, Trump wrote on Truth Social, underscoring his willingness to trade personal grievance for what he views as national security and, now, for long-overdue election integrity reforms.
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