On June 2, 2026, President Donald Trump made a headline-grabbing move by appointing Bill Pulte, the current director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), as acting director of national intelligence (DNI), according to multiple major outlets including CBS News, CNBC, and NBC News. The decision will see Pulte, a figure with no prior intelligence experience, take the helm of the sprawling U.S. intelligence community—overseeing 18 agencies, including the CIA and NSA—while simultaneously retaining his roles as FHFA director and chairman of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
Pulte’s appointment comes as Tulsi Gabbard, the outgoing DNI, prepares to step down on June 30, citing her husband’s diagnosis with a rare form of bone cancer. Gabbard’s resignation, announced on May 22, 2026, leaves a vacancy that Pulte will fill in an acting capacity for up to 210 days, meaning his tenure could last until January 26, 2027, unless a permanent replacement is confirmed sooner.
The announcement, made by President Trump via his Truth Social platform, immediately stirred controversy and drew swift bipartisan criticism. Trump praised Pulte’s financial acumen, stating, “William has deep experience managing the most sensitive matters in America, the safety and soundness of the Markets, and over 10 Trillion Dollars at Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac, a substantial increase from where it was just 12 months ago.” The president lauded Pulte’s stewardship of these housing giants and, notably, confirmed that Pulte would continue to serve as FHFA director and chairman of both Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac while leading the intelligence community.
Yet, Pulte’s lack of intelligence or national security background has alarmed lawmakers across the aisle. According to CBS News, Senator Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, issued a scathing statement: “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 went further, warning, “The concern is not only that Mr. Pulte lacks the ‘extensive national security experience’ required by statute for the job, which was created after intelligence failures led to the deaths of thousands of Americans on 9/11. It is that he appears to have been selected precisely because the White House believes he will provide the narrative it wants, not the intelligence we need.”
Republican leaders voiced their own reservations. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, a South Dakota Republican, told CNBC that “We don’t need a weaponized DNI, we need professionals there,” and said he was seeking more information from the Trump administration about the rationale behind the appointment. Senator John Cornyn of Texas, who also sits on the Senate Select Intelligence Committee, remarked to reporters, “I don't see any evidence of his qualifications for that job, but I'm willing to listen.” Even Independent Senator Angus King of Maine, once considered for the DNI post himself, commented, “By any objective assessment—in terms of experience, expertise, background—this appointment makes no sense.”
Democratic leaders were even more blunt. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer labeled Pulte “a partisan thug with no experience in intelligence,” adding, “He is another unqualified Trump appointee that will make our country less safe. And you won’t hear a word from the Republicans who claim to care about national security.” Senator Elizabeth Warren, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, accused Pulte of “abusing his authority to attack the President’s perceived political enemies, prompting the congressional watchdog to investigate his handling of sensitive financial information.” She concluded, “Today, President Trump is rewarding his lackey—who has no national security experience—with a perch atop our nation’s intelligence community. What could go wrong?”
At the heart of the criticism is Pulte’s controversial record at the FHFA. As reported by NBC News and CBS News, Pulte has used his role to launch or refer investigations into several of Trump’s political foes, including New York Attorney General Letitia James, Senator Adam Schiff, Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, and former Representative Eric Swalwell. Pulte alleged mortgage fraud and other financial misconduct against these figures, but only the investigation into James resulted in criminal charges—and those were later dismissed due to procedural issues. All the accused have denied any wrongdoing.
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) is currently investigating the FHFA’s mortgage fraud procedures, a probe that began after Democrats on Capitol Hill raised concerns that Pulte “potentially misused federal authority and resources to publicly accuse prominent Democrats and President Donald Trump’s perceived political enemies of mortgage fraud.” The GAO expects to issue its findings in late 2026 or early 2027.
Despite the firestorm, the White House has stood by its choice. White House spokesman Davis Ingle said, “The president chooses the best and most talented people to serve in his Cabinet. That is why this administration has achieved record successes for the American people. Bill Pulte is a great selection and he will do a great job on behalf of the American people.” Dr. Mehmet Oz, administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the White House briefer on Tuesday, echoed this sentiment: “I do trust the president’s judgment. He is a very sharp and quick study of people, their emotional abilities and their ability to persevere in the face of hardship, so I have confidence in his decision.”
Pulte, who was confirmed as FHFA director in March 2025 by a 56-43 Senate vote (with three Democrats crossing the aisle), now steps into a DNI office that has undergone significant upheaval. Under Tulsi Gabbard’s leadership, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence reduced or reassigned staff by 40% and consolidated several offices through a restructuring known as “ODNI 2.0.” Some longstanding products, like the “Global Trends” report, have been discontinued, fueling debate within the intelligence community about whether the office’s role has been diminished or politicized.
The appointment of Pulte—who will be acting DNI while retaining his FHFA and mortgage oversight roles—has reignited concerns about the politicization of intelligence and the blurring of lines between independent analysis and political loyalty. The coming months will test whether Pulte can navigate the demands of overseeing national security while facing ongoing scrutiny over his record and the broader question of whether the DNI is being shaped to serve the president’s agenda rather than the nation’s security interests.
As Washington waits for the GAO’s findings and watches for any further developments in the intelligence community’s structure and leadership, the stakes could hardly be higher. The decision to appoint a financial regulator with no intelligence background to the nation’s top intelligence job has opened a new chapter in the ongoing debate over the independence and integrity of America’s security apparatus.