Pulte Named Acting DNI
President Trump Appoints Housing Official Bill Pulte as Acting Director of National Intelligence
President Trump named Bill Pulte — the housing regulator who used federal mortgage data to target Trump's political enemies — as acting director of national intelligence, NBC News reported. Pulte will take over from outgoing DNI Tulsi Gabbard on June 30, while simultaneously keeping his job running the Federal Housing Finance Agency, which oversees $10 trillion in mortgage assets at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
The announcement came on June 2 via Truth Social, as the U.S. remains four months into a major war with Iran. Trump wrote that Pulte has "deep experience managing the most sensitive matters in America" — a reference to his housing role, not any intelligence background. Critics fired back immediately. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called Pulte "a partisan thug with no experience in intelligence," according to The Guardian.
A Housing Regulator Turned Spy Chief With No Intel Background
Pulte, 42, was confirmed as the 5th FHFA director in March 2025. The FHFA is a financial watchdog — it does not deal in intelligence, counterterrorism, or national security. As acting DNI, he will now coordinate 18 spy agencies, including the CIA, NSA, and FBI. Axios described his dual role — running both FHFA and the ODNI simultaneously — as "extraordinary."
Gabbard is leaving because her husband was diagnosed with bone cancer, according to Courthouse News. But The Guardian reported she had already been sidelined from Iran war planning before she announced her exit. Pulte, nicknamed "Little Trump" by the Wall Street Journal for his combative social media style, is seen as a loyalty pick above all else.
Pulte Used Mortgage Data to Probe Trump's Political Enemies
Pulte's FHFA tenure became notorious for using non-public housing data to issue criminal referrals for mortgage fraud. The targets were not random. They included New York AG Letitia James — who won a $450 million civil fraud judgment against Trump — Senator Adam Schiff, who led Trump's first impeachment, and Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, whom Trump tried to fire, according to CBS News.
Critics say these referrals bypassed the FHFA's own inspector general and were designed as political punishment, not legitimate law enforcement. Sen. Mark Warner, vice chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said Pulte "appears to have been selected precisely because the White House believes he will provide the narrative it wants, not the intelligence we need," according to The Guardian.
Iran War Puts New Pressure on the Intelligence Post
Pulte steps into the role during one of the most dangerous moments in recent U.S. history. The current war with Iran began February 28, 2026, when the U.S. and Israel struck Iranian nuclear facilities, including the Natanz enrichment site. The conflict follows a smaller "Twelve-Day War" in June 2025, during which Iran fired more than 550 ballistic missiles, according to South China Morning Post.
National security experts warn that Pulte has no military or clandestine experience. They fear he will shape intelligence assessments to match what Trump wants to hear — especially on Iran — rather than deliver hard truths. Axios reported that his lack of experience makes him almost entirely dependent on the president's direct instructions.
Even Some Conservatives Call the Pick Unqualified
The appointment drew rare criticism from the right. Conservative commentator Erick Erickson wrote that Pulte is "one of the worst members of the President's team" and joked he "will be driven to work in a very short bus each day," according to Mediaite. Anonymous GOP lawmakers privately called him a "nut" and "unqualified," according to reporting by the Daily Beast.
There are also legal questions. Under the Federal Vacancies Reform Act, an acting official can serve a maximum of 210 days. Pulte's unusual dual role — holding two Senate-confirmed-level positions at once — could draw lawsuits from congressional watchdogs, according to legal analysts cited by Axios. Mortgage industry insiders, meanwhile, worry his distraction will stall the long-delayed plan to release Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac from 18 years of government control.
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