President Donald Trump has selected Bill Pulte, the head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, to serve as acting director of national intelligence. Pulte will replace Tulsi Gabbard, who stepped down from the position days earlier.
Trump announced the move on his Truth Social platform, saying Pulte has "deep experience managing the most sensitive matters in America." Pulte will retain his position overseeing the FHFA, which regulates federal housing lenders Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
The selection marks another leadership shift in Trump's intelligence apparatus. Gabbard's tenure proved turbulent, with the former congresswoman largely sidelined during major foreign policy moments. Trump had reportedly begun discussing her replacement with cabinet members as early as April, according to people familiar with those conversations. Her marginalization became evident last June when Trump endorsed Israel's attack on Iran before the U.S. joined hostilities with bombing campaigns against Iranian nuclear facilities.
Pulte, a businessman and heir to a home construction fortune, has used his FHFA role to make public accusations against Trump's political opponents. He has leveled allegations of mortgage fraud at Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, who has denied any wrongdoing. His tenure at the housing agency has drawn scrutiny for what critics say is the weaponization of government authority for political purposes.
Senator Mark Warner, the Democrat and vice-chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, quickly condemned the appointment. "This appointment speaks volumes about what this president expects from the nation's top intelligence official," Warner said in a statement. He argued that Trump passed over "respected national security professionals" in favor of someone willing to pursue the president's political agenda.
Warner accused Pulte of already demonstrating his willingness to use government power against Trump's perceived enemies. "Rather than selecting a respected national security professional capable of delivering independent judgments, the president has chosen an official who has demonstrated not just willingness but eagerness to use the authorities of government to pursue political retribution," the senator said.
Warner further contended that Trump is "not looking for an intelligence leader who will follow the facts or speak truth to power" but instead wants "someone who will be willing to shape intelligence around the president's wishes, regardless of the cost to the American people."
Author James Rodriguez: "Pulte's track record at FHFA suggests Trump prioritizes loyalty over institutional independence, a pattern likely to concern career intelligence officials already wary of political pressure."
Comments