President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that federal housing regulator Bill Pulte will temporarily take control of the nation’s intelligence apparatus following the planned departure of Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard at the end of June.
Pulte, a close Trump ally who has led the Federal Housing Finance Agency since March 2025, will serve as acting director of national intelligence while continuing to oversee the federal agency responsible for regulating Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the Federal Home Loan Banks. He will also retain his position as chairman of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, writes NBC News.
The unusual arrangement elevates a housing regulator with no previous national security experience to the top of an intelligence community that includes 18 agencies, including the CIA and the National Security Agency. The director of national intelligence is responsible for coordinating intelligence collection and analysis across the federal government and advising the president on threats facing the United States.
Trump framed the appointment as an extension of Pulte’s record overseeing major financial institutions.
“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,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post.
The appointment does not require immediate Senate approval because Pulte will serve in an acting capacity. A permanent nominee for the Cabinet-level intelligence position would need to win Senate confirmation. Trump did not indicate whether he plans to nominate Pulte for the full-time role or select another candidate.
Pulte was sworn in as director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency in March 2025 following a bipartisan Senate confirmation vote. Although the agency traditionally operates outside the center of Washington’s political combat, Pulte has become one of the administration’s most visible and aggressive figures.
During his tenure, Pulte has issued or pursued criminal referrals involving several prominent Democrats and public officials, including New York Attorney General Letitia James, Sen. Adam Schiff of California, Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook and Rep. Eric Swalwell of California. The officials have denied wrongdoing, while Democratic lawmakers have accused Pulte of using the housing agency to target Trump’s political opponents.
Pulte has also played a prominent role in the administration’s scrutiny of the Federal Reserve’s costly renovation of its Washington headquarters. The project became a source of controversy after Trump and several allies questioned its rising price tag and accused former Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell of providing misleading testimony to Congress.
The Justice Department later opened an investigation into the renovation project and Powell’s congressional testimony. Federal prosecutors closed the inquiry in April after a judge blocked subpoenas issued during the investigation. U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro said the matter could be reopened if additional evidence emerges.
Pulte’s selection comes after Gabbard announced that she would step down as director of national intelligence on June 30. Gabbard said she was leaving the administration to care for her husband, Abraham Williams, following his diagnosis with a rare form of bone cancer.
