Trump to meet House speaker as pressure mounts over surveillance law deadline

Donald Trump is set to meet with House Speaker Mike Johnson at the White House on Tuesday, as a critical deadline looms for a powerful U.S. surveillance law. Pressure is mounting on the administration to nominate a permanent director of national intelligence, a move some Republicans believe is essential to salvage Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act before its expiration at the week's end.

The renewal of Section 702, a post-9/11 authority enabling U.S. intelligence agencies to gather communications from foreign targets, faces significant hurdles. The process has been stalled by a dispute over the role of Bill Pulte as acting intelligence chief and a perceived leadership vacuum within the intelligence community.

Republicans are divided on the path forward, with some advocating for Trump's intervention as a means to break the deadlock. The outcome of the meeting between Trump and Johnson could determine the fate of the surveillance program, which is a key tool for U.S. national security but has also drawn criticism over privacy concerns.