Trump taps Bill Pulte as acting DNI, sparking backlash and FISA renewal showdown
Trump plans to appoint Bill Pulte as acting director of national intelligence, replacing Tulsi Gabbard on June 19, despite concerns about his lack of national security experience; the move is intended to sidestep a confirmation fight but risks derailing bipartisan support to renew Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, with Democrats warning the appointment could be weaponized against Trump’s perceived enemies while Republicans push for a full-time nominee; Pulte, who heads a federal mortgage agency, has previously used access to private data to target Trump critics, drawing calls to withdraw the plan.