UMVA has learned that President Donald Trump's selection of Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte to serve as acting director of National Intelligence has sparked intense debate and raised concerns about the qualifications of a housing finance regulator taking on one of the government's most sensitive national security posts.
Pulte, the grandson of the founder of homebuilding giant PulteGroup, has built a large following through social media philanthropy campaigns that distributed money to followers online, and later became a prominent figure in conservative social media circles before Trump tapped him to lead the Federal Housing Finance Agency, which regulates Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
Trump praised Pulte's leadership of the housing finance system and his experience managing "the most sensitive matters in America," but the White House declined to say whether Trump is considering Pulte for the position on a permanent basis, sparking questions about the president's long-term plans for the role.
According to information obtained by UMVA, expectations for Pulte became clearer when Trump told The Wall Street Journal that he wants the acting intelligence chief to begin reducing the size of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, saying "I'd like to see it smaller. I think there are a lot of people in there that shouldn't be there," and describing the agency as "unnecessary and/or too big."
Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Tom Cotton quickly endorsed the effort, arguing that the Office of the Director of National Intelligence has expanded far beyond the mission Congress envisioned when it created the office after the 9/11 attacks, and saying "President Trump is right: the ODNI has grown far beyond its original mandate."
The appointment immediately generated pushback from lawmakers and former officials who argued that Pulte lacks the experience for the role, but Trump allies insisted he would dutifully carry out the president's agenda, with Rep. Anna Paulina Luna saying "Half the battle in these intelligence positions is the fact that you want someone that will not obstruct the declassification order but assist in locating documents, and that is something that Bill will do."
White House communications director Steven Cheung defended Pulte's selection, writing that "Bill Pulte is a great American and Patriot who will always fight for President Trump and his agenda," and that he has the required energy and focus to achieve great things in this new position.
Criticism of Pulte's selection was swift, with former Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell saying that "Very few Senate-confirmable positions come with statutory eligibility requirements. There are good reasons why the Director of National Intelligence is one of them," and adding that anyone performing this role must have extensive national security experience.
Senate Intelligence Committee Vice Chairman Mark Warner similarly argued that Pulte lacks the qualifications envisioned for the position, saying "The concern is not only that Mr. Pulte lacks the 'extensive national security experience' required by statute, but it is that he appears to have been selected precisely because the White House believes he will provide the narrative it wants, not the intelligence we need."
Not all intelligence overseers were critical of the appointment, however, with House Intelligence Committee Chairman Rick Crawford defending Trump's selection and dismissing concerns about Pulte's résumé, saying "Maybe you should think about something else. This guy, whether anybody knows him or not, at least is not guilty of trying to orchestrate a coup against a sitting president."
