Trump has appointed the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency to head U.S. intelligence

U.S. President Donald Trump has officially announced the appointment of Bill Pulte, director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), as acting Director of National Intelligence. In this role, he will replace the agency’s current director, Tulsi Gabbard, who previously announced her intention to step down on June 30, 2026. 

Following Hubbard’s official departure at the end of the month, the coordination of all 18 U.S. intelligence services and agencies will come under the direct control of 38-year-old Bill Pulte. 

Donald Trump separately emphasized that the new head of the intelligence community will combine these duties with his current job, remaining the head of the housing regulator FHFA and chairman of the board of American mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. According to Trump, Pulte has vast and successful experience managing “America’s most sensitive issues,” including market stabilization and direct oversight of financial assets, the total value of which currently exceeds $10 trillion.

The president’s decision sparked a wave of heated debate and concern among American political analysts and intelligence officials, as Bill Pulte has absolutely no experience working in the defense sector, national security agencies, or the intelligence services. Before beginning his career in government in 2025, he gained prominence as the heir to the PulteGroup construction empire, a private real estate investor, and a major donor to Trump’s campaign. As head of the FHFA, he has repeatedly found himself at the center of high-profile scandals, using his authority to initiate investigations and bring charges of financial fraud against opponents of the current president, including Federal Reserve Board member Lisa Cook and New York State Attorney General Letitia James.

According to many independent analysts and representatives of the Democratic Party, the appointment of a financier to such a specific position indicates Donald Trump’s consistent desire to establish maximum personal and political control over U.S. intelligence agencies, giving clear priority to the personal loyalty of leaders over their professional experience. Given his acting status, Bill Pulte will be able to legitimately lead the National Intelligence Community for 210 days without having to undergo the formal Senate confirmation process, unless Trump decides to nominate him on a permanent basis.

The American leader announced the personnel decision on his social media platform, Truth Social.