Trump Picks Bill Pulte as Acting DNI — No Intelligence Background; Replaces Tulsi Gabbard

On June 2, 2026 (Day 499), President Trump named Bill Pulte — currently serving as head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), overseeing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac — as acting Director of National Intelligence, replacing Tulsi Gabbard who announced her resignation effective June 30, 2026. Pulte, a real estate investor and social media philanthropist known for giving away money on X (formerly Twitter), has no intelligence community background. He will hold both his FHFA role and the acting DNI position simultaneously. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer immediately condemned the appointment, calling Pulte 'a partisan thug with no experience in intelligence.' The pick raised concerns among intelligence professionals and Democrats about politicization of the intelligence community at a time when the US-Iran war (Day 94) is ongoing and ceasefire negotiations are in crisis.