Trump vows to veto House FISA bill

President Trump promised to veto the FISA bill currently on the House floor.

On Wednesday, Trump signaled his opposition to an effort before the U.S. House to extend three expired federal surveillance provisions.

"If the FISA Bill is passed tonight on the House floor, I will quickly VETO it. Our Country has just suffered through the greatest political crime in its history. The massive abuse of FISA was a big part of it!"

The president's tweet echoes lawmakers in both parties who say extending the provisions under consideration would trample on privacy rights, and the Justice Department has recommended the president veto the legislation should it land on Trump's desk.

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy urged the Democratic leader Steny Hoyer to pull the bill on Tuesday. “I think we should take a deep breath,” McCarthy said. “Let’s work through the differences.”

On Tuesday, Trump also urged Republicans in the House to vote no on the legislation, citing Obamagate, a name Trump often uses to describe the activities of the Obama administration's intelligence community during the 2016 presidential election.

"I hope all Republican House Members vote NO on FISA until such time as our Country is able to determine how and why the greatest political, criminal, and subversive scandal in USA history took place!" Trump tweeted.

Despite calls to abandon the legislation, House Democrats have remained unwilling to withdraw the bill.