President Donald Trump has appointed Bill Pulte, head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), as the acting director of national intelligence. Pulte, a prominent real estate figure and staunch Trump loyalist, is now tasked with overseeing critical national security matters as the U.S. continues to navigate tensions with Iran.
Trump announced Pulte’s appointment via social media on Tuesday, citing his leadership at FHFA and his chairmanship of mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Trump praised Pulte’s management of "the most sensitive matters in America" and his oversight of over $10 trillion in assets, marking a significant increase from previous years. Pulte, 38, succeeds Tulsi Gabbard, the former Hawaii congresswoman who resigned last month following her husband’s cancer diagnosis.
Pulte’s elevation signals Trump’s prioritization of loyalty over traditional national security credentials. While Pulte lacks extensive experience in military or intelligence roles, he has been a frequent presence on Air Force One and has used his FHFA position to aggressively target perceived opponents of the Trump administration. This includes pursuing criminal referrals for mortgage fraud against public officials such as New York Attorney General Letitia James and Senator Adam Schiff.
Pulte, the grandson of PulteGroup founder William Pulte, has also been linked to controversial financial ideas, including the 50-year mortgage and efforts to lower mortgage rates through unconventional methods. His tenure at FHFA has been marked by criticism of Federal Reserve policies, particularly his public clashes with then-Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell over interest rates.
If formally nominated, Pulte will require Senate confirmation to serve as director of national intelligence full-time. Meanwhile, he will retain his roles at FHFA and Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac.