Trump taps loyalist Bill Pulte for acting DNI despite no intel background

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.