Donald Trump on Tuesday named housing official Bill Pulte, who has played a leading role in stoking the president’s retribution campaign, as acting director of national intelligence.
Pulte — a wealthy businessman turned Federal Housing Finance Agency director — appears to be an unusual choice given his lack of demonstrated experience in national intelligence. But he has served as an unlikely political attack dog against the Federal Reserve and many of Trump’s perceived political enemies.
Still, the president’s decision to move Pulte into the role already has some Trump allies scratching their heads.
“Building homes is very similar to managing a 17-agency US intelligence community,” one former Trump official sarcastically said when asked about Pulte’s qualifications for the role.
In a Truth Social post announcing the appointment, Trump cited Pulte’s “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.”
Sen. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, immediately Trump’s decision to tap Pulte for the role.
