Washington — On Tuesday, President Trump revealed his decision to appoint Bill Pulte, a housing official, as the interim director of national intelligence. Pulte will take over from Tulsi Gabbard, who plans to step down at the month’s end.
Pulte, currently heading the Federal Housing Finance Agency, has been a contentious figure within the administration. He has forwarded criminal referrals to the Justice Department, accusing several of Trump’s political adversaries of mortgage fraud. Notable figures implicated include New York Attorney General Letitia James, Senator Adam Schiff, Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, and former Representative Eric Swalwell. Trump has used the fraud allegations against Cook to attempt her removal, a matter now awaiting a Supreme Court decision.
All individuals involved have denied any misconduct, and so far, only the case against James has led to formal charges, which were later dropped.
Concerned Democrats in Congress have requested the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office to investigate whether Pulte misused his federal powers and resources to accuse prominent Democrats and those perceived as Trump’s political opponents of mortgage fraud. The office announced in December that it was looking into the matter, though the findings have yet to be published.
Despite his new role, Pulte will continue to lead the FHFA and serve as chairman of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, according to Trump’s statement on Truth Social.
“William has significant expertise in handling America’s most sensitive issues, particularly in financial markets and overseeing more than 10 trillion dollars at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, a notable increase from a year ago,” expressed Trump. “He will remain Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency and Chairman of Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac. Congratulations to Director Pulte!”
Acting officials may serve for 210 days from the start of a vacancy. Gabbard announced in May that she was resigning on June 30, citing her husband’s diagnosis with a rare form of bone cancer. That timeline means Pulte will be able to serve until Jan. 26, 2027.
The president has not indicated whether he will nominate Pulte or someone else for a permanent post. Pulte was confirmed as director of the FHFA in March 2025 in a 56-43 vote, with three Democrats voting to approve him.
ODNI has undergone major restructuring under Gabbard, reducing or reassigning staff by 40% and consolidating several offices and analytic functions through its “ODNI 2.0” initiative that was implemented last summer. Administration officials have said the changes were intended to streamline bloat at the agency, while critics have said the moves have weakened ODNI’s institutional capacity and shifted more influence back toward standalone agencies like the CIA.
The office has also drawn scrutiny under Gabbard for a range of declassification efforts and politically charged reviews tied to past Russia-related intelligence assessments. At the same time, some longtime ODNI products and offices — including a long-range strategic forecast known as the “Global Trends” report, which had been published every four years since 1997 — appear to have been discontinued as part of the overhaul.
The restructuring has fueled a broader debate inside the intelligence community over whether ODNI’s role has been narrowed to a focus on political errands rather than serving as a major analytic center, as was intended at its founding after 9/11. Some current and former officials believe changes under Pulte could affect the handling or release of sensitive assessments, including a report related to Anomalous Health Incidents, also known as Havana Syndrome, that Gabbard was expected to make public before her departure.
ODNI did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Pulte’s appointment.
Sen. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said Pulte’s selection “speaks volumes about what this president expects from the nation’s top intelligence official.”
“Rather than selecting a respected national security professional capable of delivering independent judgments, the president has chosen an official who has demonstrated not just willingness but eagerness to use the authorities of government to pursue political retribution,” Warner said in a lengthy statement.
“The concern is not only that Mr. Pulte lacks the ‘extensive national security experience’ required by statute for the job, which was created after intelligence failures led to the deaths of thousands of Americans on 9/11,” Warner added. “It is that he appears to have been selected precisely because the White House believes he will provide the narrative it wants, not the intelligence we need.”
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.”
