Trump taps housing regulator Bill Pulte as acting intelligence chief
Bill Pulte, the chief of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, replaces Tulsi Gabbard to oversee 18 intelligence agencies
US President Donald Trump has named federal housing regulator Bill Pulte as acting director of national intelligence, entrusting oversight of America’s intelligence agencies to a close political ally whose career has been rooted in housing finance rather than national security.
The move places the 38-year-old director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency at the helm of the nation’s intelligence community that oversees 18 agencies, including the CIA and National Security Agency, while allowing him to retain his existing responsibilities regulating the mortgage market.
The appointment would likely draw scrutiny because it places a Trump loyalist with no known intelligence background atop the group responsible for assessing threats from countries including China, Russia, Iran and North Korea.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer sharply criticised the decision, saying it “should send a shiver down the spine of everyone”.
“Bill Pulte has proven himself willing to act as a Trump political puppet,” Schumer said. “At a time of growing threats around the world, Trump’s choice makes one thing clear: he is not looking for independent intelligence. He’s looking for political validation.”