President Donald Trump announced that he is appointing Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte as the Acting Director of National Intelligence.
Trump shared the news on Truth Social, where he praised Pulte’s strong track record running the housing finance system.
“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. During this period, he will remain Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), and Chairman of Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac,” the President wrote Tuesday morning.
Pulte, 38, steps into the position left by Tulsi Gabbard, who submitted her resignation to the President last month after her husband, Abraham Williams, was diagnosed with an extremely rare form of bone cancer. Gabbard’s departure is set to take effect on June 30.
As The Dallas Express previously reported, Gabbard oversaw major restructuring at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, pledging to cut staffing by more than 40% and trim annual expenditures by over $700 million through her “ODNI 2.0” initiative.
The Director of National Intelligence job normally requires Senate confirmation. However, by appointing Pulte as acting director, the White House can skip that process for as long as they want – at least until they nominate someone permanently.
Pulte was confirmed to lead the FHFA in March 2025 by a 56-43 Senate vote, with three Democrats crossing the aisle to support him.
Since becoming FHFA Director, Pulte has sent multiple criminal referrals to the Justice Department against several prominent Democrats – including Letitia James, Adam Schiff, Lisa Cook, and Eric Swalwell, per PBS. All of them have denied any wrongdoing.
Trump’s appointment of Pulte has drawn some criticism on Capitol Hill. Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA), the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said Pulte lacks the required national security experience and appears to have been picked because the administration wants someone who will deliver friendly narratives instead of straight intelligence.
Even some Republicans offered skepticism. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) told NBC News he had only just learned of the decision and said the country does not need “a weaponized DNI,” adding that anyone seeking the permanent post faces “a lengthy road ahead of him.”
The ODNI oversees all 18 agencies in the U.S. intelligence network, including the CIA and the National Security Agency. Looking ahead, it remains unclear whether Pulte is being considered for the role permanently or whether the administration intends to nominate a separate candidate for Senate confirmation in the coming months.
