Bill Pulte, the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, took over as acting director of national intelligence on June 19, replacing Tulsi Gabbard and becoming the top official overseeing the nation’s 18 intelligence agencies despite having no background in intelligence work.
President Trump announced Pulte’s appointment on June 2, 2026, days after Gabbard announced her resignation on May 22 to care for her husband, who had been diagnosed with cancer. Gabbard remained in the role through June 30, but Trump moved Pulte into the position earlier than expected.
Pulte, 38, comes from a real estate family and previously served as head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, where he oversees Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Before his appointment to the intelligence role, he did not have a security clearance granting him access to highly classified information, according to CNN. He has no military service, no intelligence background, and no known experience in national security.
The appointment drew swift criticism from both Democrats and Republicans. Senator Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, called Pulte a “national security threat” and said Trump was “treating our national security like a political bargaining chip.” Even some Republicans questioned his fitness for the job. Senate Majority Leader John Thune said of Pulte: “The best I can tell you is he’s not qualified, but I don’t know anything about him other than that,” according to The Hill.
As acting DNI, Pulte oversees the premier foreign spy service, the Central Intelligence Agency, and the National Security Agency, among other agencies. Trump has said Pulte will remain FHFA director while serving in the intelligence role, a dual appointment that left many intelligence professionals questioning whether the spy chief position could be effectively managed part-time.
Pulte’s standing in Trump’s eyes grew over the past year when, as FHFA director, he sent Justice Department criminal referrals on allegations of mortgage fraud against multiple Democrats who have pushed investigations into Trump. The BBC reported that Pulte has pushed for criminal charges against Trump’s political enemies and sought to help Trump remove leadership of federal agencies. Critics fear that with access to the nation’s most sensitive intelligence, Pulte could use that information to target foes of the president.
On Thursday, June 19, Pulte arrived at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence a day early and requested a list of every employee in the office so he could assess whether to fire them, according to CNN. Sources said Pulte is considering cutting hundreds of jobs at ODNI. During a briefing last week, Pulte asked staff whether he could bring the President’s Daily Briefing—a highly classified set of intelligence on key national security matters—to his house, raising alarm bells among intelligence officials. He also inquired about his security clearance level, access to a government plane, and a protective security detail, even before officially starting the job.
Trump initially nominated Jay Clayton, the U.S. attorney for Manhattan, as Pulte’s permanent replacement. However, on June 18, Trump halted Clayton’s confirmation hearing, linking it to passage of a controversial Voter ID and proof of citizenship election bill. Senate Majority Leader John Thune said he had “never been asked to slow a nomination down before.” Democrats have vowed to oppose any extension of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, a crucial national security program, as long as Pulte remains Trump’s DNI pick.
Trump said Pulte will remain as acting DNI “as long as it takes” for other administration nominees to be confirmed. The president defended Pulte, saying: “Look, he’s a very legitimate guy; he’s very smart. He’s a brilliant guy.” Trump has also said Pulte “may find out some things about the rigged elections,” signaling that the new intelligence chief may continue efforts by his predecessor to search for evidence of voter fraud in the 2020 election, which Trump lost.
Sources
- PBS NewsHour — Pulte’s appointment on June 2, 2026, and his lack of intelligence background.
- NBC News — Pulte taking over as acting leader after Gabbard’s resignation announcement.
- Reuters — Confirmation that Pulte has no experience in intelligence and will oversee 18 agencies.
- CNN — Pulte arriving early on June 19, requesting employee list, and his lack of prior security clearance.
- CNBC — Trump halting Jay Clayton’s confirmation hearing and keeping Pulte as acting DNI.
- The Guardian — Pulte replacing Gabbard and Trump’s announcement on June 2.
- Washington Post — Pulte’s zero intelligence experience and his record targeting Trump’s political opponents.
- BBC — Pulte pushing for criminal charges against Trump’s political enemies and seeking to help Trump remove agency leadership.
- The Hill — Senate Majority Leader Thune’s statement on Pulte’s qualifications.
- Al Jazeera — Pulte’s lack of intelligence operations experience and oversight of 18 intelligence departments.
