The Washington establishment is in full panic mode as President Donald Trump and his conservative allies in Congress refuse to give the intelligence community a free pass on renewing controversial foreign surveillance powers without first securing America's elections.
The battle centers around the expiring Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) authorities that the Deep State desperately wants renewed with no strings attached. But Trump and House conservatives are drawing a hard line: no spy power extensions without the SAVE Act, which would require proof of citizenship to vote in federal elections.
This is exactly the kind of America First leadership we voted for, folks. While the intelligence agencies cry about Iranian threats and foreign terrorists, Trump is asking a simple question: what good are spy powers if we can't even secure our own elections from foreign interference?
The Deep State's Desperate Gambit
Intelligence officials are reportedly warning about "domestic Iranian terrorist cells" to pressure Congress into a clean renewal of surveillance authorities. How convenient that these threats always seem to emerge just when the administrative state needs more power.
The same agencies that spied on Trump's 2016 campaign, that pushed the Russia hoax, and that have consistently weaponized their powers against conservatives now want Congress to trust them with even more surveillance authority. Not happening under Trump's watch.
"We can protect America from foreign threats while also protecting our elections from foreign interference. The SAVE Act does exactly that by ensuring only American citizens vote in American elections."
Congressional leaders are reportedly scrambling to find a path forward, but Trump has made his position crystal clear. The days of the intelligence community getting whatever they want while ignoring election integrity are over.
America First Means Elections First
This fight perfectly illustrates why Americans gave Trump and Republicans total control of government. We're tired of being told we must choose between security and sovereignty, between protecting against foreign threats abroad while ignoring foreign interference in our elections.
The SAVE Act would require proof of citizenship to register to vote in federal elections – something that should be common sense but somehow drives Democrats and establishment Republicans into hysteria. If requiring Americans to prove they're Americans before voting is too much to ask, then maybe these surveillance powers aren't worth having.
Will Trump force the Deep State to finally choose between their spy games and American election integrity? The smart money is on our America First president once again.