Trump taps loyalist with no intel experience to lead US spy agencies

President Donald Trump named Bill Pulte, currently the head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, as the new acting director of national intelligence on Tuesday. Pulte will replace Tulsi Gabbard, who announced her resignation from the role last month.

“William has deep experience managing the most sensitive matters in America,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post, praising in particular Pulte’s attention to the “safety and soundness of the Markets.” Trump added that Pulte will maintain his role as the Chairman of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

The new acting director has no background serving in intelligence or military related roles. He is seen as a close ally of the president. In his role at the housing agency, Pulte sent the Department of Justice criminal referrals that alleged mortgage fraud by several of Trump’s political enemies, including Letitia James, the Attorney General of New York, and Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.).

Democrats pounced on the announcement, saying that it made clear that Trump was appointing somebody to serve his personal interests rather than those of the country.

“This appointment speaks volumes about what this president expects from the nation's top intelligence official.” Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), Vice Chair of the Intelligence Committee, said in a statement.

“[H]e appears to have been selected precisely because the White House believes he will provide the narrative it wants, not the intelligence we need,” Warner said. “Americans have every reason to worry about what happens when the official charged with overseeing everything from counterterrorism to foreign election threats is chosen for his willingness to advance the president's political agenda rather than his experience.”

Gabbard's forthcoming departure from the office is officially because of personal reasons relating to her husband’s health. But given her long-standing opposition to regime change wars, there has been speculation that the intelligence chief was pushed out because of disagreements over the administration’s foreign policy. Gabbard had reportedly been sidelined from White House meetings during military interventions in Venezuela and Iran.

One of Gabbard’s colleagues in the ODNI, Joe Kent, resigned in March in protest of the war with Iran. Unlike his predecessor, Pulte appears to have virtually no public record on foreign policy issues. In rare comments related to national security, he raised vague concerns about Chinese nationals buying U.S. farmland and investing in mortgage-backed securities during a a March 2025 appearance on Donald Trump Jr.’s podcast.

The transition from Gabbard to Pulte has fueled concerns that the administration is prioritizing political loyalty in its appointments.

“[Pulte] has zero experience in the IC and no formalized training, which is troubling considering how volatile the world is right now. However, it’s not exactly a surprising move,” James Webb, a national security and political consultant and an Iraq war veteran, told RS. “Trump has long prized personal loyalty to him over professional competence, and this is another example of it.”

Though the head of ODNI is a Senate-confirmed position, Pulte’s appointment as acting director will not require confirmation. It is unclear if Trump intends to make him the permanent choice for this role.