Bill Pulte, director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, became acting director of national intelligence on Friday after the White House halted confirmation proceedings for his successor, thrusting an official with no spy agency experience into command of 18 US intelligence bureaus.
The maneuver blocked Tulsi Gabbard's planned departure on June 30 and prevented the Senate from confirming Jay Clayton, Trump's DNI nominee, on the same day. On Wednesday, the White House cancelled Clayton's scheduled confirmation hearing and instructed him not to appear before lawmakers, effectively stalling the nomination process.
Pulte's ascension to the intelligence post leaves him overseeing both the federal housing agency and the nation's sprawling spy apparatus in what amounts to an unconventional arrangement. His lack of intelligence credentials is not new ground for the administration. The Wall Street Journal previously reported that some Trump officials privately call him "Little Trump" for his alignment with the president's priorities.
The move immediately drew criticism from Senate Democrats, who pointed to Pulte's tenure at the housing finance agency as evidence of political weaponization. Last year, he referred several prominent Trump opponents for mortgage fraud prosecution, including Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook, New York attorney general Letitia James, former congressman Eric Swalwell, and California senator Adam Schiff. Legal observers widely dismissed the allegations as lacking substance.
The accusations raised broader concerns about access to protected financial records. The Government Accountability Office launched an investigation in December into whether Pulte improperly obtained mortgage information belonging to Trump's political adversaries, an inquiry still underway.
Senate Intelligence Committee ranking Democrat Mark Warner condemned the appointment as a departure from professional standards. "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," Warner said. "Elevating him to oversee the intelligence community makes clear that this president is not looking for an intelligence leader who will follow the facts or speak truth to power, but rather someone who will be willing to shape intelligence around the president's wishes, regardless of the cost to the American people."
Gabbard's tenure as DNI had already sparked concern on Capitol Hill over her approach to election-related matters. She unexpectedly appeared at an FBI raid on a Georgia election facility in Fulton County and authorized the seizure of voting machines in Puerto Rico based on baseless conspiracies about Venezuelan interference.
Trump has indicated similar expectations for Pulte. Shortly after the housing official's assignment to the intelligence role, the president described him as "a very smart guy" and suggested voters "may find out some things about the rigged elections."
Author James Rodriguez: "This is what happens when political loyalty becomes the primary qualification for running the nation's spy agencies."
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