Trump Names Bill Pulte As Acting Director Of National Intelligence After Gabbard's Exit

US President Donald Trump has named Bill Pulte as the acting Director of National Intelligence (DNI), replacing Tulsi Gabbard, who recently announced that she will step down from the position at the end of June.

The announcement was made by Trump on Truth Social, where he praised Pulte's experience overseeing sensitive financial institutions and managing trillions of dollars in assets through his current roles. Pulte serves as Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) and also chairs mortgage finance giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Trump said Pulte would continue to hold those positions while serving as acting DNI.

The appointment allows Trump to temporarily avoid the Senate confirmation process required for a permanent DNI nomination. It remains unclear whether Pulte will ultimately be nominated for the role on a full-time basis.

Pulte has led the FHFA since March 2025 after securing Senate confirmation with bipartisan support. During his tenure, he has drawn attention for making criminal referrals involving several prominent Democrats, including New York Attorney General Letitia James and Senator Adam Schiff. Both denied the allegations, while some investigations failed to advance.

He has also been at the centre of disputes involving Federal Reserve projects and investigations linked to former Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell.

Pulte's appointment places a trusted Trump ally at the helm of the US intelligence community at a time of significant political and national security challenges.