Remember when Donald Trump criticized FISA and government surveillance? Now, the fight in Washington is about extending those same powers — and it’s raising eyebrows.
In a late-night move, Reps. Thomas Massie, Lauren Boebert, and Tim Burchett blocked an effort to push through a five-year extension of FISA. Instead, they forced leadership to settle for a short two-week extension.
Boebert didn’t hold back, arguing lawmakers are being pressured behind closed doors.
“They bring us into classified briefings and act like it’s dangerous to require warrants to spy on Americans,” she said. “What we never hear is: maybe these agencies already have too much power.”
Massie echoed those concerns after reviewing classified materials.
“I saw two top secret documents today that show this program is getting worse, not better,” he said.
He warned that the issue goes beyond politics or who holds office.
“If you end up on a government list, they can dig into your life, build a case, and never admit how they got the information,” Massie said.
Burchett, in his own blunt style, dismissed the program entirely, signaling deep distrust among some lawmakers.
The clash highlights a growing divide — not just between parties, but within them — over surveillance powers, civil liberties, and whether Washington is expanding authority faster than it can be controlled.
And for critics, it raises a bigger question: has the stance on FISA changed, or just the politics around it?
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