President Donald Trump appears determined to install Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte as acting director of national intelligence. But the move is running into resistance from both parties and threatening to complicate an already contentious fight over the renewal of a major U.S. surveillance program that expires later this week.
Pulte, a 38-year-old housing regulator and Trump ally, is scheduled to replace outgoing Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard on June 19. Trump announced the appointment after Gabbard disclosed plans to step down, citing family reasons.
Prior to Trump’s Tuesday night message, Gabbard was expected to leave her post at the end of the month, according to reporting from The Hill:
The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) director was originally expected to start in this role following the planned departure of DNI Tulsi Gabbard on June 30.
In addition to this new role, Trump reiterated on Tuesday that Pulte will remain in his current roles at FHFA and as chair of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac during this period. It is highly unusual for the DNI, who oversees over a dozen intelligence agencies, to remain in other government leadership roles.
The president’s decision to push forward with Pulte’s nomination comes amid threats from a growing number of Democratic lawmakers to block the renewal of part of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) if Pulte remains the acting DNI.
Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill have cited concerns with Pulte’s qualifications for this role and his record of using his position at FHFA to elevate claims of mortgage fraud against Trump’s perceived political foes.
After Pulte’s nomination became public last week, Senate Majority Leader John Thune indicated that the FHFA chief would struggle to build sufficient support for a permanent confirmation.
Questions About Qualifications
The appointment has drawn scrutiny because Pulte has no known intelligence, military, or national security background. The law establishing the director of national intelligence position states that appointees should possess extensive national security expertise, a point critics have repeatedly highlighted.
Pulte currently leads the Federal Housing Finance Agency and serves as chairman of government-backed mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. He was confirmed to that position by the Senate in 2025.
Trump has defended the selection, arguing that Pulte has experience handling sensitive financial information and managing large organizations.
Republicans Join Democratic Critics
The backlash has not been limited to Democrats.
Several Republican senators have publicly questioned whether Pulte possesses the qualifications necessary to oversee the nation’s 18 intelligence agencies. Thune has indicated that a permanent nominee would face a rigorous confirmation process, while other Republicans have expressed concerns about politicizing intelligence operations.
Democrats have been even more forceful. Senate Intelligence Committee Vice Chairman Mark Warner warned that the appointment could undermine confidence in the intelligence community, while House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and others have raised concerns about potential political misuse of intelligence authorities.
Surveillance Fight Raises Stakes
The dispute comes as Congress faces a deadline to renew Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, commonly known as FISA 702. The program allows the government to collect communications of foreign targets located overseas but has long generated privacy concerns because Americans’ communications can be swept up incidentally.
Democrats have threatened to withhold support for reauthorization if Pulte takes office, potentially complicating efforts to extend one of the intelligence community’s most important surveillance authorities.
House Speaker Mike Johnson said Monday that Trump is interviewing candidates for a permanent intelligence chief and is close to making a nomination, a move widely viewed as an effort to calm congressional concerns.
Trump Signals Pulte May Be Temporary
Amid the controversy, Trump has begun emphasizing that Pulte is not intended to be the permanent intelligence chief. The president has reportedly told lawmakers and reporters that he is searching for a long-term nominee and views Pulte as a temporary caretaker who can implement organizational changes at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
Trump has also suggested he wants Pulte to continue workforce reductions begun under Gabbard, arguing that the intelligence bureaucracy has become too large and requires restructuring.
For now, the White House appears committed to moving forward with the appointment. Whether that decision jeopardizes the renewal of FISA 702 or forces Trump to accelerate his search for a permanent intelligence chief remains one of the key questions facing Congress this week.
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