Topline

Critics spanning the political spectrum blasted President Donald Trump’s new pick for national intelligence director, Bill Pulte, on Tuesday, noting he has no national security or intelligence experience and a history of weaponizing government agencies to go after Trump’s enemies.

Key Facts

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., told CNN “we don’t need a weaponized DNI, we need professionals there,” adding Pulte has a “lengthy road ahead of him” if Trump wants to make his appointment permanent through the Senate confirmation process.

Trump said Tuesday he tapped Pulte as acting director of national intelligence after Tulsi Gabbard announced her resignation last month, effective June 30.

Pulte will continue serving in his roles as chair of Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac and director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency while heading ODNI.

In addition to Thune, lame duck Republican Sens. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Bill Cassidy, R-La., also told reporters they had concerns about Pulte’s qualifications.

Several members of the Senate intelligence committee, which would need to approve his appointment if Trump wanted to make him director permanently, said they were baffled or outright disagreed with the choice: Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, told Politico “this appointment makes no sense,” and Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., said Pulte has “demonstrated not just willingness but eagerness to use the authorities of government to pursue political retribution.”

Conservative talk radio host Erick Erickson called Pulte “one of the worst members of the President’s Team,” while conservative lawyer Gregg Nunziata said “Bill Pulte should be facing an impeachment inquiry, not a promotion to oversee a sensitive portfolio.”

Contra

Some in Trump’s circle cheered Pulte’s appointment. Steve Bannon called it “a middle finger to Republican members of the Senate,” who Trump is feuding with over a number of issues, including his now-paused anti-weaponization fund and White House ballroom project. Right-wing activist Jack Posobiec said Trump “just appointed a fighter,” calling Pulte “a man who knows how to get things done and has been loyal to the President since Day One.”

Key Background

Gabbard announced her resignation May 22, citing her husband’s cancer diagnosis, following a tumultuous tenure in which she publicly clashed with Trump over the Iran war. Trump initially appointed Deputy Director of National Intelligence Aaron Lukas to fill her role. Lukas worked in the first Trump administration and under former President Barack Obama. As head of the FHFA, Pulte spearheaded the controversial campaign to accuse Trump’s enemies of mortgage fraud. He referred New York Attorney General Letitia James, Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif, Fulton Country District Attorney Fani Willis and Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook to the Justice Department, but only James has been charged so far and her case was dismissed. Pulte is the grandson of the late William J. Pulte, billionaire founder of the PulteGroup residential building company. Pulte served on the company’s board until 2020 and has since had a falling out with his family’s charitable foundation, which released a statement in 2024 distancing itself from Pulte. He has been referred to as “Little Trump” for his abrasive leadership style, including aggressive efforts to identify and oust leakers and go after Trump’s foes. In the James case, Pulte was accused of improperly obtaining her mortgage records through his role at Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac, according to an internal complaint reported on by The Wall Street Journal, which subsequently reported about a dozen internal investigators at the company were fired in the wake of the complaints against Pulte.

Tangent

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent threatened to punch Pulte “in the f- - -ing face” at a private dinner with Trump officials and allies in Washington last year, Politico reported, citing multiple anonymous sources. Bessent was reportedly incensed that Pulte had been mad-mouthing him to Trump.

Further Reading

Trump Taps Pulte—Who Led Probes Into Trump Enemies—For National Intelligence Chief (Forbes)