Trump taps loyalist Bill Pulte for acting DNI despite no intel background
TL;DR
President Trump named Bill Pulte, a wealthy housing-finance official with no intelligence background, as acting director of national intelligence, signaling a loyalty-first, move-fast approach to election security; Pulte has previously used his FHFA role to push referrals against Trump opponents, raising questions about qualifications and potential political influence over intelligence and declassification ahead of the midterms; the appointment follows a pattern of installing loyalists, with Lukas slated to become acting DNI after Gabbard’s departure.
- Why Trump selected an acting director of national intelligence with no intel experience CNN
- Trump taps housing official Bill Pulte to be US spymaster BBC
- Trump’s intel pick delights MAGA and shocks nation’s spies Politico
- Thune on Pulte pick: ‘We don’t need a weaponized’ director of national intelligence The Hill
- Why the President Tapped ‘Little Trump’ as His Intelligence Chief WSJ
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