William Pulte, director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), during a Bloomberg Television interview outside the White House in Washington, D.C., on Monday, Jan. 12, 2026. Pulte was a driving force behind the Trump administration's decision to subpoena the Federal Reserve, according to people familiar with the matter, intensifying pressure on the central bank as President Donald Trump prepares to pick a new Fed chief.
Trump Appoints Pulte as Acting DNI
WASHINGTON ― President Donald Trump has appointed home builder heir Bill Pulte, who has no experience in the intelligence community but has demonstrated a willingness to use the government to attack Trump's critics, to one of the nation's top intelligence posts.
"I am appointing the Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, and Chairman of Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac, William J. Pulte, to serve as Acting Director of National Intelligence," Trump announced on his personal social media platform Tuesday.
Virginia Democrat Mark Warner, the vice chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said the appointment would leave Americans "more vulnerable to a terrorist attack" because of Pulte's clear lack of qualifications for the job.
"This president is not looking for an intelligence leader who will follow the facts or speak truth to power, but rather someone who will be willing to shape intelligence around the president's wishes, regardless of the cost to the American people," Warner said in a statement.
Pulte's Background and Controversies
Trump claimed in the post that Pulte's current job ― in which he has asked for criminal investigations claiming mortgage fraud against Trump's perceived enemies ― gives him the background needed to run DNI.
"William has deep experience managing the most sensitive matters in America, the safety and soundness of the Markets, and over 10 Trillion Dollars at Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac, a substantial increase from where it was just 12 months ago," Trump wrote. "During this period, he will remain Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, and Chairman of Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac. Congratulations to Director Pulte!"
The office of DNI was created after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks to better coordinate the work of the various intelligence services. Trump's first appointment to the position in his second term was former Democratic congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, who also had no specific intelligence background but endorsed Trump as he campaigned to return to the White House despite having attempted a coup after his 2020 reelection loss. Gabbard resigned her position last month.
Pulte, 38, rose to prominence in Trump's orbit with frequent posts supporting him on social media. He is the grandson of the founder of the PulteGroup, a giant residential home builder.
