Trump names William Pulte as acting intelligence head

[Attilatheblond]

Last edited Tue Jun 2, 2026, 06:08 PM - Edit history (1)

Source: The Hill

President Trump named William Pulte, the head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, to serve as the acting head of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

In tapping Pulte, Trump turns to an ally who has been behind referring several of his foes for prosecution for alleged mortgage fraud. Pulte would replace Tulsi Gabbard, who resigned last month.

“William has deep experience managing the most sensitive matters in America, the safety and soundness of the Markets, and over 10 Trillion Dollars at Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac, a substantial increase from where it was just 12 months ago. During this period, he will remain Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, and Chairman of Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac. Congratulations to Director Pulte!” Trump wrote on his social media site.



Read more: https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5905332-pulte-federal-housing-chief/

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Edited to add a mia culpa. I confused this Bill Pulte with the horrors in homebuilding his grandfather did in Tucson. Thank you to maxsolomon for correcting the error below. Since the Pulte family made gobs of money selling sub par homes with sub prime mortgages to very marginal buyers, I will estimate that the Bill Pulte who is in Trump's regime certainly benefited from the fortunes made by scamming buyers. That money buys influence and influence along with kissing Trump's ass probably earned this edition of Bill Pulte some power and money. Let's hope like others in Trump's orbit, this will cost Bill Pulte the Current a lot more than he bargained for.

Another nomination for an extremely sensitive and important post that defies logic and common sense.

From linked article:

It’s an unusual selection for several reasons. Pulte, who previously owned a construction company and private equity firm, has no high-level national security experience.

Yeah, construction company owner whose homes in the Tucson area left buyers of brand new homes in peril due to shoddy construction resulting in home buyers with massive headaches due to many issues, one of which if I recall correctly, was foundations cracking which caused various issues with the stability of walls.

And he helped Trump find ways to go after his enemies by suggesting investigations into mortgage fraud. Maybe if Blanch keeps getting egg on his face in courts, Trump will consider Pulte for Acting AG too?

[djacq]

1. The best people my ass.

[tonekat]

2. Nepo baby slumlord with no experience in intelligence

Only trump can pick the worst.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

36. Intelligence is considered elitist in MAGA world.

[Prairie Gates]

3. Pulte was behind the various attempts to prosecute Dems for mortgage fraud

Now he'll have a whole new batch of data he can doctor into some goofy charges.

He has the utterly Trumpian qualities of being both a know-nothing and a menace.

[Attilatheblond]

5. Another discussion on Pulte in GD with some info of what I knew about a Pulte development in Tucson years ago

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100221276951#post5]

Pulte's home construction business really screwed a lot of first time home buyers in Tucson years ago
Reply to Miles Archer (Original post)
Tue Jun 2, 2026, 07:26 AM

Massive home development, modest homes aimed at first time home buyers, 'great deals, easy financing'. Yeah, and built on land that was not the most stable. Built fast, and showing it fast when foundations started developing serious cracks and shifts. Walls became unstable in many homes.

The home buyers were not financially comfortable, but were convinced this was the way to become home owners which would assure they would FINALLY be able to escape a life of just accruing a stack of rent receipts instead of equity in a home in a town with a fast growing market.

Many home buyers were trapped in homes that were not sound. I seem to recall many families had to move out when the homes became unstable enough to be at risk. Working people working in a state with very few union jobs, extremely low pay, and little consumer protections at the time. Some had to move into, and pay rent on apartments while still saddled with montage payments on houses that were unlivable.

Moved out of the area and didn't keep up with whether any of those home buyers were ever made whole again. Did know there were LOTS of lawsuits.

Good times back then. But Pulte made lots of money. I have no idea what other communities his construction company may have screwed over, but I was in Tucson at the time and had friends in the land title company that handled the Pulte account just prior to the brand new homes turning into money pits for not-well-off first time home buyers. Seem to recall the mortgage rates the were lower than the going rates at the time. Beginning of sub-prime rush to get buyers who really didn't have the income to qualify maybe?

Pulte was feasting well on harming a lot of people who could ill afford being taken advantage of. I always wondered how he stayed out of jail, but fat cats can afford good lawyers and politicians who accommodate.

[dalton99a]

6. +1

[Ocelot II]

4. The enshittification continues.

[hadEnuf]

40. Trump can be counted on to find the biggest and best unqualified a-holes out there to fill these positions.

It's his gift.

[Bayard]

7. Because housing finance makes you mega-qualified,

To be in charge of the most sensitive classified info in the world.

[Martin68]

8. I feel safer already knowing the head of national security was the head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency.

He has extensive experience weaponizing a government agency against anyone who disagrees with Dump.

[Kali]

9. OMG

[The Madcap]

10. At least in Tucson, they don't have to worry about frozen pipes due to the lack of insulation...

but that summer heat will burn up an air conditioner very quickly in such a house.

Clapboard and paper.

One of the major slap-together housing developers who should never ever be near a government office except as a defendant.

[cstanleytech]

11. Trump and intelligence are two words that never belong in the same article.

[ShazzieB]

23. Unless the word "intelligence" is preceded by the words "lack of"!

[cstanleytech]

24. True. nt

[Ilsa]

12. So Tulsi's job was a part-time job?

Of course the part-time status is so there is no messy senate confirmation where Pulte is questioned about his business ethics.

[snowybirdie]

13. I seem to remember

He was disowned by his family .

[kurtyboy]

14. He is a hatchet-man, just like he's been doing with the mortgage records

Only now, he'll have access to national security information to use for Trump's retribution.
This may be Trump's greatest threat to our security so far--and that is saying something.

Be afraid.

[orangecrush]

15. I can just imagine how thrilled

The real intelligence professionals are with this.

[ashredux]

16. It's simple, if you're a crook, you want another crook to work for you

[popsdenver]

20. I was just gonna say

that his history of massive corruption made him a perfect candidate as a Republican hire..........

[paleotn]

17. No words....

OK, some words. National intelligence? How hard can it be? I'm reminded of an old commercial. No idea what the product was. It's a professional juggler juggling running chainsaws. A guy in the audience, it's always a guy, thinks "that doesn't look hard. I can do that." and wants to take over for the juggler. Um, dude, no you can't on so many levels. We are so fucked.

[Karma13612]

18. An inexperienced

Financial-minded multi-tasking moron to head the Intelligence Agency of the United States of America

Oh that’s gonna work out just fine.

[Attilatheblond]

26. Our Intelligence Agencies will soon be nothing but "Blackmail, INC"

[Zorro]

19. Pulte will use our national intel services

to go after Trump's domestic political adversaries.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

21. "Every word of this statement by Senator Mark Warner, Vice-Chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, is spot on."

Reposted by Kevin M. Kruse
https://bsky.app/profile/kevinmkruse.bsky.social

‪Ryan Goodman
‪@rgoodlaw.bsky.social‬

On President Trump's appointment of Bill Pulte as DNI.

Every word of this statement by Senator @markwarner.bsky.social, Vice-Chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, is spot on.

My statement on President Trump's appointment of Bill Pulte as Acting Director of National Intelligence:

"This appointment speaks volumes about what this president expects from the nation's top intelligence official. Rather than selecting a respected national security professional capable of delivering independent judgments, the president has chosen an official who has demonstrated not just willingness but eagerness to use the authorities of government to pursue political retribution. Americans have already seen Mr. Pulte use the powers of his office at the Federal Housing Finance Agency to pursue the president’s grievances and lend credibility to dubious prosecutions of President Trump’s perceived political opponents. "Elevating him to oversee the Intelligence Community makes clear that this president is not looking for an intelligence leader who will follow the facts or speak truth to power, but rather someone who will be willing to shape intelligence around the president’s wishes, regardless of the cost to the American people. “The concern is not only that Mr. Pulte lacks the ‘extensive national security experience’ required by statute for the job, which was created after intelligence failures led to the deaths of thousands of Americans on 9/11. 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."Americans have every reason to worry about what happens when the official charged with overseeing everything from counterterrorism to foreign election threats is chosen for his willingness to advance the president's political agenda rather than his experience. That is how intelligence becomes politicized, how inconvenient facts disappear, how agencies charged with protecting our democracy instead become tools to manipulate it, and how Americans are left more vulnerable to a terrorist attack."
ALT
11:31 AM · Jun 2, 2026

On President Trump's appointment of Bill Pulte as DNI.

Every word of this statement by Senator @markwarner.bsky.social, Vice-Chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, is spot on.

— Ryan Goodman (@rgoodlaw.bsky.social) 2026-06-02T15:31:42.280Z

[Harker]

22. I was half expecting Todd Blanche or Marco Rubio.

[agingdem]

28. Blanche is busy getting his ass kicked in federal court

and Rubio is dancing as fast as he can trying to sell Trump’s inevitable capitulation to the Iranians as a win for his boss..

[Harker]

37. Jerks of all trades.

[maxsolomon]

25. This appears to be a job that could be eliminated.

No one is actually doing it since 1/20/2025.

Pulte is an absolute POS and has zero qualifications. He's going to use the office to pursue internal dissent. Bet on it.

[Seinan Sensei]

30. Mother Jones has several articles

* Pulte violated securities laws by failing to file required financial disclosure forms - required for those who head-up Fannie Mae
* Illegally funneled charity money to Trump's campaign
* donation made to pro-Trump super-PAC, channeled through a shell company
* has five mobile home parks in Florida that have fallen into disrepair, yet have seen steep rent hikes

[maxsolomon]

34. Add in his 4 years of BS on the board at Pulte Homes.

He's such a POS I think he could win the MAGA nomination in '28.

[LudwigPastorius]

27. Another unqualified Trump meat puppet.

At least Gabbard served time on the House Armed Services Committee's Intelligence and Special Ops division.

Pulte's entire "credentials" amount to donating to Trump's campaign and ginning up accusations of mortgage fraud against his enemies.

How can the career intelligence professionals in government stand this shit? How can they not just say, fuck it, I'm going to take a job where my boss isn't a stooge for a felon and traitor?

[Texin]

29. Is this Pulte the same as the residential home builder?

[Attilatheblond]

33. Yep, his construction company did a lot of shoddy building

and a lot of lower income people fell victim to shoddy buildings and 'low interests to get you into your first home' trouble.

[maxsolomon]

35. William Pulte is his grandfather.

This POS had a spot on the Pulte Homes board for 4 years, 2016-2020, but that's if for his involvement.

[Attilatheblond]

41. Thank you for correcting me, maxsolomon

The grandson certainly benefited from all the money the senior Bill Pulte made thru building shoddy homes. And since money buys power, the Putle clan seems to be moving onto bigger and better scams.

[maxsolomon]

42. Indeed. He founded a Venture Capital firm 1 year after graduating from Northwestern.

Private equity (2010–2016)
After graduating, Pulte interned for Huron Capital Partners and later worked for Penske Capital Partners.[5] Pulte founded investment firm, Pulte Capital, in 2011.[2] The company had two hundred employees and US$30 million in revenue by 2014. That year, he was named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 list.[6]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Pulte

You don't do that as a 23-year-old without access to massive amounts of Capital.

[Attilatheblond]

43. ill gotten goods lift only some boats

I will truly enjoy watching this Pulte fall on his face as only Trump suckers do.

[WSHazel]

32. No ally will share intelligence with us again

How can they when America puts untrustworthy dipshits like this in critical intelligence roles?

[wolfie001]

38. All of this POS's acts are political retribution approved by the "Shit 6" on the SC

Appointed by a fat orange imbecile propped up by The Heritage Foundation and their Project 2025. FUCK ALL THESE christo-fascist BASTARDS!

[fujiyamasan]

39. I'm sure Fetterman will endorse this pick

“It’s a very interesting choice” — senator oatmeal brain

[LetMyPeopleVote]

44. MaddowBlog-Trump taps FHFA's Pulte for acting DNI in latest radical personnel move

When identifying the most outlandish personnel move of Trump’s second term, the competition is fierce, though this has to be near the top of the list.

The idea of having Bill “Little Trump” Pulte serve as acting DNI, despite his recent abuses and obvious lack of qualifications, while simultaneously overseeing the FHFA, isn’t just misguided.

It’s the punchline to a dreadfully unfunny joke.
www.ms.now/rachel-maddo...

— Steve Benen (@stevebenen.com) 2026-06-02T14:01:34.012Z

https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/trump-appoints-fhfa-bill-pulte-acting-director-national-intelligence

There’s been some speculation about her possible successor, and while the president hasn’t formally announced his new nominee, on Tuesday morning he published a statement on his social media platform alerting the public to his acting DNI choice. The missive read in its entirety:

I am appointing the Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, and Chairman of Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac, William J. Pulte, to serve as Acting Director of National Intelligence. William has deep experience managing the most sensitive matters in America, the safety and soundness of the Markets, and over 10 Trillion Dollars at Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac, a substantial increase from where it was just 12 months ago. During this period, he will remain Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, and Chairman of Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac. Congratulations to Director Pulte!

When identifying the single most outlandish personnel move of Trump’s second term, the competition is admittedly fierce, though this has to be near the top of the list.

Pulte has no experience whatsoever working in or around the U.S. intelligence community, and no experience in the military or national security. He has earned a reputation as a hyperpartisan Trump loyalist who’s tried to use his office to target the White House’s political opponents.....

To an almost cartoonish degree, the Trump sycophant has taken it upon himself to target one White House foe after another, weaponizing mortgage fraud allegations against the president’s perceived political enemies, including New York Attorney General Letitia James, Sen. Adam Schiff and Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook.

What does this work have to do with serving as the acting director of national intelligence? By any reasonable measure, nothing, though for Trump, who clearly wants unflinching loyalists in as many key positions as possible, Pulte’s antics are a key selling point.....

Others have been far less impressed. The Government Accountability Office, an independent and nonpartisan investigative watchdog for Congress, opened an investigation into Pulte’s alleged abuses in the fall, and around the same time, MS NOW reported that a federal grand jury in Maryland was investigating whether Pulte and Justice Department official Ed Martin illegally shared sensitive grand jury information with unauthorized people.

With a background like this, common sense suggests it would be wise to keep Pulte as far away from the ODNI as possible. Alas, in this White House, common sense is apparently in short supply.....

Senate Majority Leader John Thune admitted as much on Tuesday morning, saying, “We don’t need a weaponized DNI, we need professionals there. … If he’s somebody we want in that position permanently, he’s got a lengthy road ahead of him.”

[LeftInTX]

45. Pulte Homes was the first thing I thought of