President Donald Trump on June 2 appointed Bill Pulte, his Federal Housing Finance Agency director, as acting Director of National Intelligence. Pulte will oversee the CIA, NSA, and all 18 agencies of the U.S. intelligence community. He has no intelligence experience. He is keeping his FHFA job.
View on X: Sen. Mark Warner's statement on the Pulte appointment
Who Bill Pulte Is
Bill Pulte, 33, grandson of the Pulte Homes founder, arrived at FHFA in 2025. His tenure there produced no landmark housing policy. It produced a string of criminal referrals sent to the Justice Department against names on Trump's enemies list.
Pulte referred Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook for alleged mortgage fraud, claiming she listed two properties as a primary residence simultaneously. He filed a referral against New York Attorney General Letitia James, alleging she falsified bank documents connected to a 2020 home mortgage. Sen. Adam Schiff and former Rep. Eric Swalwell were also referred. All four denied wrongdoing. The James case was dismissed. None of the others resulted in charges.
This is the man who will now run America's intelligence agencies.
Trump's Case for the Appointment
Trump announced the appointment on Truth Social: "I am appointing the Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, and Chairman of Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac, William J. Pulte, to serve as Acting Director of National Intelligence. William has deep experience managing the most sensitive matters in America."
The most sensitive matters Pulte has managed at FHFA are the governance of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and the use of a housing regulator's authority to file legal referrals against four political opponents of the president.
"We don't need a weaponized DNI, we need professionals there." Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.)
Thune is the Senate's top Republican. His word "weaponized" describes in plain terms what Trump's own party understands this appointment to be.
How the Appointment Bypasses a Confirmation Vote
Pulte's predecessor, Tulsi Gabbard, resigned effective June 30 after her husband was diagnosed with a rare bone cancer. Her Principal Deputy Director, Aaron Lukas, was in line to serve as acting DNI. Trump skipped Lukas entirely.
Pulte is serving under the Federal Vacancies Reform Act, which allows acting officials to serve for 210 days. If Trump submits a formal nomination for DNI, Pulte can remain in place throughout the entire confirmation process. If that nomination fails, the 210-day clock resets. Senate confirmation may never happen.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called Pulte "a partisan thug with no experience in intelligence" who "will make our country less safe."
Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), ranking member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said the appointment "speaks volumes about what this president expects from the nation's top intelligence official."
What the DNI Actually Does
The Director of National Intelligence coordinates the work of the CIA, NSA, Defense Intelligence Agency, and 15 other U.S. intelligence agencies. The DNI briefs the president on classified threats, manages relationships with foreign intelligence partners, and is responsible for keeping the intelligence apparatus free from political interference.
Pulte's confirmed record on sensitive matters is four criminal referrals against Trump's political opponents. Three produced nothing. One was dismissed. On June 2, 2026, Trump gave him oversight of the CIA and the rest of the U.S. intelligence community.
Sources
- CNBC: "Trump names housing chief Bill Pulte acting intelligence director, replacing Tulsi Gabbard"
- NPR: "Trump appoints Bill Pulte as acting director of national intelligence"
- CBS News: "Trump names controversial housing official Bill Pulte as acting director of national intelligence"
- The Hill: "Trump names William Pulte as acting Director of National Intelligence, replacing Tulsi Gabbard"
- Axios: "Trump taps housing regulator turned MAGA enforcer as intelligence chief"
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