Bill Pulte tapped as acting US intelligence chief

On June 2, 2026, President Donald Trump named Bill Pulte, the head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, as acting Director of National Intelligence. The decision places Pulte in charge of the U.S. intelligence community on a temporary basis following the planned departure of current DNI Tulsi Gabbard.

Pulte currently serves as director of the FHFA and as chairman of mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The administration said he will retain those positions while serving as acting DNI, combining oversight of the housing finance system with leadership of the intelligence apparatus.

Tulsi Gabbard, who holds the DNI post, previously announced she will resign effective June 30, 2026. Her planned departure creates the vacancy that Pulte is being tapped to fill in an acting capacity.

Media coverage has linked the timing of Pulte’s appointment to federal rules on acting officials. CBS News reported that acting officials may serve for 210 days and that, given Gabbard’s June 30 resignation date, Pulte could serve as acting DNI through January 26, 2027.

Trump announced Pulte’s new role on Truth Social. In his post, the president said Pulte "has deep experience" managing the FHFA and cited his oversight of "over 10 Trillion Dollars" at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac as a qualification for the intelligence role.

The administration’s statement emphasized continuity at the housing finance regulator, noting that Pulte will keep his FHFA position and his chairmanships at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac while taking on the acting DNI duties.

News reports have noted that Pulte has no known prior intelligence experience. His background is in housing finance regulation and oversight of the government-sponsored enterprises Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, rather than national security or intelligence roles.

The selection has drawn criticism from lawmakers. Sen. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, publicly criticized Trump’s choice of Pulte for the intelligence post. Other Senate leaders also raised concerns in media coverage about experience and potential politicization of the office.

NBC News reported that appointing Pulte in an acting capacity allows the White House to bypass immediate Senate confirmation. Because he is serving as acting DNI, the administration can install him without a confirmation vote at this stage.

CBS News’ reporting on the 210-day limit for acting officials frames how long Pulte could remain in the role under current rules. With Gabbard’s resignation effective June 30, 2026, the reported timetable would allow him to serve into early 2027 without Senate confirmation, unless the White House or Congress changes course.