Trump Names Housing Official Bill Pulte as Acting DNI, Replacing Tulsi Gabbard
President Trump on June 2, 2026 appointed Bill Pulte — head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency and known for using his government access to refer Trump opponents for prosecution — as acting Director of National Intelligence, replacing Tulsi Gabbard who resigned citing her husband's cancer diagnosis. Pulte has no intelligence or military background and will simultaneously hold his FHFA post overseeing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The appointment drew rare bipartisan criticism: Senate Majority Leader Thune warned against a "weaponized DNI," Mitch McConnell cited the statutory requirement for "extensive national security experience," and Democrats called it a dangerous politicization of the intelligence community ahead of the 2026 midterms.
intelligence
DNI
Trump appointments