Bill Pulte is taking over as acting director of national intelligence, despite having no background in safety work.
Trust is hard to build but easy to lose. When the person in charge of our deepest secrets is chosen for party loyalty rather than skill, we are all left unsafe.
What Happened
President Donald Trump named Bill Pulte as the new acting chief of national intelligence. He replaces Tulsi Gabbard, who is stepping down at the end of June. Pulte currently runs the Federal Housing Finance Agency, where he manages home loan markets.
Pulte has no background in spying or safety work. Instead, he has used his housing post to target the president's party rivals. He has sent criminal complaints to police against top Democrats, though none have led to charges.
Because Trump named Pulte as "acting" director, Pulte does not need Senate approval right now. He will keep his housing job and run the nation's spy agencies at the same time.
What the money/evidence shows
- Pulte oversees $10 trillion at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in his housing role.
- He made 2 criminal referrals against New York Attorney General Letitia James.
- He sent a mortgage fraud referral against Senator Adam Schiff that later stalled.
- He was confirmed to his housing post in 2025 by a tight 56-43 Senate vote.
- He was sued by former Representative Eric Swalwell over home loan fraud claims.
The Bigger Question
How did we get to a point where housing officials run spy networks? The law says the intelligence chief must have deep national security experience. By ignoring this rule, the White House risks turning silent protectors into political tools.
If spy agencies are used to attack rivals, who is watching the real threats? We must ask if we are trading our safety for political fights.
The Other Side
Trump defended the choice by pointing to Pulte's work managing massive housing markets. Supporters say his business skills and firm leadership are exactly what the intelligence agencies need to clear out waste.
Based on the facts, this defense is weak because managing home loans is entirely different from stopping foreign threats.
What Happens Now
Pulte takes over the spy agencies in July. Regular Americans may not see daily changes, but our allies might stop sharing crucial secrets if they fear our agencies are partisan.
This setup could leave the country open to attack during a time of global tension.
What We Still Don't Know
- Will Trump try to make Pulte the permanent intelligence chief?
- How will career intelligence officers react to a boss with no security background?
- Will Senate Republicans block him if he is put up for a full vote?
Transparency notes
Published: Jun 2, 2026. No major post-publication update has been logged.
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