United States President Donald Trump has appointed Bill Pulte, current director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), as the new interim Director of National Intelligence, replacing Tulsi Gabbard, who left the position a few weeks ago to accompany her husband in his fight against cancer.
"William has extensive experience in managing the most sensitive affairs of the United States, the security and soundness of the markets," Trump explained in a message published this Tuesday on social media, in which he announced his decision to replace Gabbard.
The president highlighted Pulte's track record at the helm of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the two large government-sponsored enterprises responsible for backing most of the mortgages granted in the country.
"He will continue to be director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency and president of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac," said of the man considered one of his allies, Pulte, known for having used said office to promote investigations against those he considers political enemies of Trump.
Last year, Pulte recommended that the Department of Justice investigate Democratic congressmen, Federal Reserve board member Lisa Cook, and New York Attorney General Letitia James, for unproven allegations of mortgage fraud. No charges resulted in a conviction.
Likewise, he has also stood out for proposing to Congress to investigate the then-chairman of the Federal Reserve, Jerome Powell, with whom Trump had clashed on several occasions until his departure, and for defending a controversial 50-year mortgage advocated by the White House chief, but widely criticized.
His appointment is particularly striking because Pulte has no prior experience in the military or intelligence services. His interim status suggests he could be replaced by someone else, as his profile generates rejection among Democrats, in a context of strong polarization in the Senate Intelligence Committee, the body responsible for validating the appointment, according to several US media outlets.
As Director of National Intelligence, Pulte will now assume the task of overseeing nearly twenty intelligence agencies and delivering daily reports on the most urgent security matters.