Trump names housing finance chief Bill Pulte as acting director of national intelligence
President Trump appointed Bill Pulte, head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency and a vocal loyalist, as acting director of national intelligence on Tuesday, replacing Tulsi Gabbard.
President Donald Trump named Bill Pulte, the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), as the acting director of national intelligence on Tuesday, placing a close ally with no known intelligence background in charge of overseeing the nation's spy agencies. The announcement was made on Trump's Truth Social platform.
Pulte replaces Tulsi Gabbard, who announced last month that she was stepping down to care for her husband, who is suffering from cancer. Gabbard's resignation is effective at the end of June, according to one report. Pulte will continue to lead the FHFA and serve as chairman of mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac while taking on the intelligence role.
A loyalist with a combative record
Pulte, 38, has been among the most aggressive advocates for prosecuting Democrats and others perceived by Trump as having crossed him. Throughout 2025, while leading the FHFA, he used social media to accuse some of Trump's perceived enemies of committing mortgage fraud. His tactics infuriated and frustrated officials at the White House, as well as prosecutors and leadership at the Justice Department.
In March, Pulte made two criminal referrals against New York Attorney General Letitia James, alleging insurance fraud. Beginning in April 2025, he also accused California Senator Adam Schiff and Federal Reserve Board Governor Lisa Cook of mortgage fraud. The accusations against Cook prompted calls for her removal as governor and a federal lawsuit. His combative style has earned him the nickname "perro de presa" (attack dog) of the president in some local media.
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.
Institutional implications
The director of national intelligence is a cabinet-level position created after the September 11 terrorist attacks, responsible for coordinating the work of the CIA and a host of other agencies. The role normally requires Senate confirmation for a permanent appointment. By naming Pulte in an acting capacity, Trump avoids that legislative process for now. It was not immediately clear whether Pulte will be Trump's permanent choice to lead the intelligence community.
Pulte was confirmed to lead the FHFA in March 2025 by a Senate vote of 56 to 43, a result that showed Republican support along with backing from three Democratic senators: Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland, Ruben Gallego of Arizona, and Elissa Slotkin of Michigan.
A freer hand
Serving in an acting role, rather than facing Republican senators during a confirmation hearing, could give Pulte a freer hand in focusing on priorities the president cares about, including looking for evidence that Trump's 2020 election loss stemmed from fraud. Gabbard was already pursuing that line of inquiry. Trump's advisers have previously said he has never seen the director of national intelligence as an important role, and in his first term he believed the staff working for that office were leaking information about him.
