President Donald Trump reversed course on his decision to appoint businessman Bill Pulte as acting Director of National Intelligence, telling reporters in the Oval Office on Thursday that the role is 'not permanent.' The move came just two days after Pulte was tapped to oversee the nation's intelligence agencies following the resignation of Tulsi Gabbard.
Trump Clarifies Pulte's Role
Trump emphasized that Pulte's assignment is a temporary measure while the administration searches for a permanent replacement. 'It's not a permanent position,' Trump said. 'We're looking at, we're interviewing people right now, but it's somebody just to take it over for a little while.'
When pressed by reporters on whether Pulte was the best person to lead the office, Trump praised his character and suggested the new acting director might look into domestic political matters. 'He's very smart. He's a person who's got high integrity. He's done a phenomenal job,' Trump said, adding, 'He may find out some things about the rigged elections.'
National Security Concerns
The Director of National Intelligence is responsible for overseeing the 18 agencies that comprise the US intelligence community and delivering the President's Daily Brief. Critics have frequently warned that installing leaders without deep familiarity with global threats and intelligence gathering could jeopardize national security. Trump strongly rejected those concerns, arguing that unconventional backgrounds can yield successful results and compared Pulte's trajectory to his own entry into politics.
'I think he does actually because he's smart,' Trump said when asked if Pulte possesses the necessary national security experience. 'I wasn't greatly experienced in national security, and I think I've done a really great job with it. I ended 8 wars. It could be 10 soon.'
Backlash and Scrutiny
Trump's new intel chief has sparked immediate backlash, with Republicans fuming at the real estate executive's chaotic style and his colorful online history drawing renewed scrutiny. Pulte, the 38-year-old director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency and chairman of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, was appointed acting director of national intelligence on Tuesday after Gabbard's resignation.
His tenure at FHFA has drawn scrutiny, including over a short-lived 50-year mortgage idea that sparked backlash from housing and market critics. Pulte enjoys a close relationship with Trump, frequently flying on Air Force One and often spotted at the President's resorts and golf courses.
Video resurfaced on Wednesday showing Pulte receiving a penis-shaped award at an investing event in Florida in 2023. Referred to by some as 'Little Trump,' Pulte, a Mar-a-Lago member, has been spotted frequenting Trump's golf resorts and bringing printed-out poster boards to meetings to drive home his points with the poster-adoring President.
Republican Reactions
Senate Majority Leader John Thune reacted to Pulte's new job on Tuesday: 'We don't need a weaponized DNI; we need professionals there.' 'Again, I just heard about it. I'll try and get more information about the current state of their thinking about that position,' the Senate GOP leader added. 'If he's somebody they want in that position permanently, he's got a - as you all know - a lengthy road ahead of him.'
Outgoing Texas Republican Senator John Cornyn, a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said, 'I don't see any evidence of qualifications for that job, but [I am] willing to listen.' North Carolina Republican Senator Thom Tillis reacted: 'I didn't know he had any national security experience.'
Given how many GOP Senators are concerned with his qualifications, it could be a difficult gambit to have Pulte get Senate confirmation. The administration has not yet provided a timeline for when a permanent, Senate-confirmed nominee will be announced to lead the agency.
Pulte's Background
Pulte is the grandson of William J Pulte, the founder of the Pulte Group, a construction company worth more than $22 billion. The FHFA director first skyrocketed into the spotlight in 2019 when he began philanthropic efforts on Twitter, now X. At the time, he would routinely give out cash to random followers, claiming to have given over $1 million away. The self-proclaimed 'inventor of Twitter philanthropy' quickly saw his follower count rise to over 3 million by 2022.
Last year, Pulte accused Trump's foes of mortgage fraud, including New York Attorney General Letitia James, California Senator Adam Schiff, and Federal Reserve Board of Governors member Lisa Cook. All three have denied any wrongdoing.
