He is correct. Only a judge can do that....at the President’s request.
Why did the President order a wiretap?
I was wire tapped back in the 1990’s by a very unscrupulous QAE on a federal contract. Small town in AZ. He was friends with Ma Bell technician. I was the Federal Contractor.
Unfortunately for this idiot, when his phone rang mine did as well. All done in a Central Office covering the town.
We still had rotary service and yes, he was a democrap trying to figure out bidding.