President Donald Trump has appointed William Pulte as acting director of national intelligence, filling a vacancy created by Tulsi Gabbard's planned resignation at the end of June.
Trump announced the decision on Truth Social, calling Pulte a close ally with significant executive experience. The president highlighted Pulte's management of sensitive financial matters and noted that assets under his stewardship at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have grown substantially over the past year, now exceeding $10 trillion.
Pulte currently serves as director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency and chairman of both Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. He will retain those posts while taking on the intelligence role, according to Trump's statement.
The transition marks a significant shift in the intelligence leadership structure. Gabbard, Trump's first-term choice for the position, announced her intention to step down from the role in recent weeks, setting the stage for Pulte's interim appointment to the intelligence directorship.
Author Sarah Mitchell: "Moving a housing finance executive directly into the nation's top intelligence post without prior intelligence agency experience signals Trump's preference for loyalists over traditional intelligence community credentials."
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