President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that he has tapped Bill Pulte, the country’s top housing regulator, to be acting director of national intelligence.
The surprise move follows Tulsi Gabbard resigning from the post last month after her husband was diagnosed with cancer.
Pulte, a Trump loyalist and heir to his family’s homebuilding empire, will remain director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency and chair of mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, Trump said in a Truth Social post.
It’s unclear whether Pulte, a business executive, has any national security experience.
“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,” Trump wrote. “During this period, he will remain Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, and Chairman of Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac.”
Since taking on the role of overseeing the mortgage market in the second Trump administration, 38-year-old Pulte appears to have relished acting as the president’s attack dog.
In particular, Pulte went after former Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell for not cutting interest rates as quickly as Trump wanted, and called for Powell to quit over the renovation of the Federal Reserve.
Pulte also referred several of Trump’s enemies for prosecution for alleged mortgage fraud.
The U.S. intelligence apparatus is comprised of 18 agencies, including the CIA and National Security Agency, and has been central to the war in Iran and military engagements in South America.
Pulte would need to be formally nominated and then confirmed by the Senate to take the position full time.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) condemned the move.
“Bill Pulte is a partisan thug with no experience in intelligence,” he wrote on X. “He is another unqualified Trump appointee that will make our country less safe. And you won’t hear a word from the Republicans who claim to care about national security.”
