U.S. President Donald Trump has appointed William Pulte, 38, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) director who has served as the lead attacker against the Federal Reserve by exposing alleged misconduct by former Fed Chair Jerome Powell and Fed Governor Lisa Cook, as acting director of National Intelligence (DNI). Placing a loyalist in his 30s with no intelligence experience at the helm of an organization overseeing the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has prompted concerns even within the Republican Party.
Trump announced the appointment of Pulte as acting DNI director on Truth Social on Tuesday (local time). Created after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the DNI director is a Cabinet-level position overseeing 18 U.S. intelligence agencies, including the CIA and the FBI. The DNI also produces the daily intelligence briefing that supports the president's foreign and security policy decisions. Trump explained that Pulte will continue to serve as FHFA director and as chairman of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the two major U.S. housing finance corporations.
Pulte, who comes from a private equity background, was appointed FHFA director at the start of Trump's second term and has since spearheaded mortgage fraud allegations against New York Attorney General Letitia James, Senator Adam Schiff (D-California), and Governor Cook. All are figures who stand on the opposite side of Trump politically and on policy. He also asserted that Powell's explanation in the Senate last June—where the former Fed chair called media reports of excessive Fed renovation costs "inaccurate"—constituted "deceptive testimony that provides sufficient cause to dismiss Chair Powell."
Concerns over a non-expert in intelligence affairs taking charge of U.S. intelligence agencies have been raised not only by the opposition Democratic Party but also within the ruling Republican Party. Senate Majority Leader John Thune said, "What we need is an expert," adding that Pulte would face a difficult road if he is nominated as DNI director after shedding the acting title. Senator Mark Warner, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, criticized the move, saying, "Instead of choosing a national security expert capable of independent judgment, he has chosen someone enthusiastic about using government authority for political retaliation."
The DNI director position became vacant after Director Tulsi Gabbard tendered her resignation last month. Trump was reportedly dissatisfied that Gabbard was not sufficiently aggressive in supporting his policies and attacking his political rivals.
