President Donald Trump has appointed Bill Pulte as the acting director of national intelligence to replace Tulsi Gabbard, according to reports from Business Standard, CNBC, and Axios. The announcement was made Tuesday on Truth Social by Trump, marking a significant leadership change in the intelligence community. Pulte currently serves as the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency and holds the position of chair of mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. As the highest-ranking intelligence official, Pulte will oversee a vast network of 18 agencies, including the CIA and the National Security Agency, and serve as the president's principal adviser on intelligence issues while managing the daily intelligence briefing. In a statement, White House spokesperson Davis Ingle defended the pick: "The President chooses the best and most talented people to serve in his Cabinet. That is why this Administration has achieved record successes for the American people. Bill Pulte is a great selection and he will do a great job on behalf of the American people."
Tulsi Gabbard resigned last month after revealing her husband's cancer diagnosis, as reported by Business Standard, CNBC, and Axios. Her departure from the intelligence leadership role created the vacancy that Trump has now filled with Pulte's appointment. Although Gabbard had indicated she would remain in office until June 30, Trump moved ahead with the appointment, placing a trusted political ally in one of his administration's most sensitive positions. Gabbard, who has long portrayed herself as skeptical of U.S. military interventions abroad, has kept a low profile since the U.S. and Israel launched an air campaign against Iran on February 28. At congressional hearings after the start of the war, Gabbard declined to say whether she believed Iran posed an imminent threat to the United States, saying her role was merely to relay the best intelligence to the president.
According to CNBC and Axios reports, Pulte has become a lightning rod within the administration by using social media throughout 2025 to accuse perceived political enemies of mortgage fraud. From his perch atop the normally low-profile housing regulatory agency, Pulte has spurred a firestorm of controversy by raising allegations of mortgage-related wrongdoing against several of Trump's political opponents. Pulte has sent criminal referrals to the Justice Department alleging mortgage fraud by a number of Trump's political foes, including New York Attorney General Letitia James, Sen. Adam Schiff, Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook and former Rep. Eric Swalwell. Trump cited the fraud allegations against Cook to justify her attempted firing, which is currently before the Supreme Court. Pulte also submitted a criminal referral against New York Attorney General Letitia James on allegations of falsifying bank documents and property records in connection with a home mortgage she obtained in 2020. James was charged in October with bank fraud and making false statements to a financial institution, though a federal judge dismissed her case after ruling that the interim U.S. attorney who brought the indictment was invalidly appointed.
The appointment has drawn sharp criticism from Democratic lawmakers, with Senator Mark Warner of Virginia, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, slamming the decision. Warner called Pulte "not only unqualified, but chosen precisely because the White House believes he will provide the narrative it wants, not the intelligence we need." Warner stated that Pulte was "chosen for his willingness to advance the president's political agenda rather than his experience," which should worry Americans. Senator John Thune, the Senate's top Republican, expressed skepticism about the move, telling reporters on Capitol Hill that "We don't need a weaponized DNI, we need professionals there." Thune said he is seeking more information from the Trump administration about the current state of their thinking about the position. Senator Chuck Schumer called Pulte "a partisan thug with no experience in intelligence," stating that he is "another unqualified Trump appointee that will make our country less safe." Senator Elizabeth Warren criticized Pulte for spending his time at the FHFA "abusing his authority to attack the President's perceived political enemies," prompting the congressional watchdog to investigate his handling of sensitive financial information. Senator Adam Schiff (Pulte's target at the Federal Housing Finance Agency) wrote on X that Pulte "politicized and weaponized the housing agencies and will do the same in the intelligence community."
The Government Accountability Office has confirmed it is investigating Pulte's conduct at the Federal Housing Finance Agency, with a GAO spokesperson stating the office expects to issue results in "late 2026 or early 2027." Democrats on Capitol Hill asked the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office to examine whether Pulte "potentially misused federal authority and resources to publicly accuse prominent Democrats and President Donald Trump's perceived political enemies of mortgage fraud." The investigation comes as Pulte will serve as acting DNI until January 26, 2027, when Gabbard's resignation timeline expires. Independent Sen. Angus King of Maine, who was considered for the DNI post in 2020, said in a statement: "By any objective assessment — in terms of experience, expertise, background — this appointment makes no sense." The fact that Pulte will serve in an acting role could provide him greater flexibility to focus on priorities the president cares about, including investigations into alleged election fraud.
