Trump struggles to gather GOP support for his unpopular surveillance program

Twenty Republican lawmakers joined Democrats early Friday morning to block President Donald Trump's push for a longer extension of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, defying the president's explicit call for GOP support, as reported by the Associated Press.

The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or FISA, permits national intelligence agencies to surveil overseas communications without a warrant, including those of Americans.

After initially proposing a five-year extension, leadership attempted to salvage an 18-month renewal that Trump had demanded and Speaker Mike Johnson previously backed. The bipartisan coalition blocked the measure, forcing GOP leadership to settle for a short-term extension pushing FISA's expiration to April 30.

The deliberations extended late Thursday into early Friday morning, prompting heated reactions on the House floor. Rep. Jim McGovern questioned who was running the chamber, while Rep. Ro Khanna celebrated the coalition's victory, stating lawmakers would "have to fight in daylight" over future extension attempts.

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