Trump Says He Is Willing to ‘Risk’ His Own Rights While Urging 18‑Month FISA Section 702 Extension
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President Trump publicly urged Congress to approve an 18‑month reauthorization of FISA Section 702 as lawmakers prepared key House votes, saying the program is “extremely important to our military” and crediting it with intelligence used in recent U.S. actions in Venezuela and Iran. In remarks live‑blogged on April 15, 2026, he acknowledged that other FISA authorities had been used to surveil his 2016 campaign but said he was nevertheless willing to “risk” giving up his own rights to preserve Section 702. PBS reporting adds that Tulsi Gabbard, now serving as director of national intelligence and a former sponsor of repeal as a congresswoman, has reversed course and supports renewal, a shift supporters say underscores the program’s perceived operational value.