President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he is appointing Federal Housing Finance Agency director William Pulte to serve as acting director of national intelligence, replacing outgoing director Tulsi Gabbard.
The choice is unusual for the nation’s top spy official, who would oversee 18 intelligence agencies like the NSA and CIA. Trump defended his selection in a Truth Social post, saying that Pulte, who led many of the administration’s mortgage fraud efforts last year, “has deep experience managing the most sensitive matters in America.”
Pulte would still hold his leadership positions in FHFA, as well as his chairmanship of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, while serving as acting director, Trump said.
While heading the housing finance body, Pulte leveraged his authority to launch investigations into the president’s political foes, including Federal Reserve Board Governor Lisa Cook and New York Attorney General Letitia James. He does not have prior experience working in the intelligence community.
The announcement sparked swift condemnation from former national security leads, who expressed disbelief over the pick for a paramount U.S. intelligence post that has seen major restructuring and downsizing over the past year.
“I would think at a time when we are facing exceptional conflict in the Middle East and tensions around the world, we would want someone with deep experience in intelligence matters to serve as the acting director of the agency responsible for coordinating all of America’s spy agencies,” said a former senior national security official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to be candid.
“Moreover, it’s a full-time job, so I can’t see how someone could also serve in an important financial regulatory position at the same time. It makes you think this administration either doesn’t know or care — or both — about this office,” the former senior official added.
Nextgov/FCW has asked the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, FHFA and Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac for comment.
Citing her husband’s recent cancer diagnosis, Gabbard announced last week that she intends to step down from her position effective at the end of June.
“Despite a law requiring the Director of National Intelligence to have ‘extensive’ national security experience, the president’s choice for Acting DNI, Bill Pulte, has quite literally no relevant experience with intelligence or national security,” said Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn, the ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee.
“His brief career in public service has shown only that he is willing to abuse his office to attack Donald Trump’s political enemies,” added Himes. “That would be dangerous in any job, but in a position that requires sober, apolitical judgment based on intelligence, it is potentially catastrophic for national security.”
“This appointment speaks volumes about what this president expects from the nation’s top intelligence official,” said Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., who serves in an equivalent role on the Senate Intelligence Committee. “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.”
Editor’s Note: This story was updated to add a reaction from Rep. Jim Himes D-Conn., and Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va.
