Trump Appoints Bill Pulte as Acting US Intelligence Chief

US President Donald Trump has appointed Bill Pulte as acting director of national intelligence while he continues serving as head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency. Pulte replaces Tulsi Gabbard, who resigned after her husband’s cancer diagnosis. Although Pulte is known for overseeing mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, critics question his lack of intelligence and national security experience.

US President Donald Trump has appointed Bill Pulte as the acting director of national intelligence (DNI), handing the 38-year-old financier and housing regulator one of the most sensitive positions in the US government.
Pulte, who currently heads the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), will continue in that role while also overseeing the nation’s intelligence community. The FHFA regulates mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, two key institutions that underpin the American housing market.
The appointment comes after Tulsi Gabbard stepped down from the position following her husband’s cancer diagnosis. Gabbard, a former Democratic congresswoman from Hawaii who later aligned herself with Trump politically, had served as director of national intelligence amid ongoing debates over US foreign policy and intelligence reforms.
In announcing the appointment on his Truth Social platform, Trump praised Pulte’s leadership and financial oversight abilities, saying he had extensive experience managing highly sensitive national matters. The president highlighted Pulte’s supervision of more than $10 trillion connected to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, noting that the value of the mortgage institutions had significantly increased over the past year.
However, the decision has raised questions among political observers because Pulte has little publicly known background in intelligence, military operations or national security affairs. His professional experience has largely centered on finance, housing oversight and corporate management.
During his tenure at the FHFA, Pulte became increasingly involved in politically charged disputes tied to Trump’s allies and opponents. He publicly accused Democratic Senator Adam Schiff and New York Attorney General Letitia James of mortgage fraud, claims that intensified partisan tensions surrounding the agency.
Pulte also comes from a wealthy and influential business family. He is the grandson of William J. Pulte, founder of PulteGroup, one of the largest homebuilding companies in the United States. Originally from the state of Florida, Pulte has built a strong presence in conservative political and business circles in recent years.
The role of director of national intelligence involves coordinating America’s intelligence agencies, advising the president on national security threats and overseeing the flow of classified intelligence across the government. Pulte’s appointment signals Trump’s continued preference for loyal political allies in key government positions as he reshapes major federal institutions.