U.S. President Donald Trump has named Bill Pulte acting director of national intelligence, placing the current head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency in charge of coordinating the country’s 18 intelligence agencies. Trump announced the move Tuesday on Truth Social, saying Pulte will continue leading the FHFA while replacing Tulsi Gabbard, who said she will leave the post June 30 because of her husband’s cancer diagnosis.
Trump pointed to Pulte’s experience overseeing housing finance and chairing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac as relevant management experience for a national security role. Because Pulte was previously confirmed by the Senate for his housing position and is being appointed on an acting basis, he is not expected to face an immediate Senate confirmation process. Critics of Trump have argued that acting appointments can be used to bypass Senate scrutiny.
The choice drew questions from both parties. Republican Sen. John Cornyn said he saw no evidence of qualifications for the intelligence job, while Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy said Pulte did not appear qualified. Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called Pulte a partisan figure without intelligence experience.
Pulte, a grandson of the founder of homebuilder PulteGroup, has been a strong Trump supporter and an active social media presence. At the FHFA, he has referred several public officials for alleged mortgage fraud, including New York Attorney General Letitia James, Sen. Adam Schiff and Federal Reserve board member Lisa Cook. James’s case was dismissed after a judge found the prosecutor had been improperly appointed; Schiff and Cook have denied wrongdoing and have not been charged.
Pulte has also criticized Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell over interest rates and has been linked to housing policy proposals such as 50-year mortgages. His appointment comes during U.S. conflicts and diplomatic challenges involving Iran, Ukraine and emerging military technologies.