Bill Pulte Reportedly Tried to Oust Tulsi Gabbard Early as He Took Over at DNI, Forcing Trump to Intervene: ‘Today Is Your Last Day’

Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call via AP Images

Bill Pulte, selected by President Donald Trump to serve as acting Director of National Intelligence (DNI), attempted to force Tulsi Gabbard out of her role early in a move that triggered a direct intervention from the president.

Pulte, currently director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, is lined up for the role after Gabbard publicly announced she intended to leave at the end of the month to help care for her husband, who is battling cancer.

Officials familiar with the matter, however, told Axios that Pulte called Gabbard on Tuesday and informed her: “Today is your last day.”

The statement reportedly caught Gabbard off guard.

“I need to hear it from the president or the White House,” Gabbard responded, according to two officials briefed on the conversation.

Following the call, Gabbard contacted Trump directly. The president did not instruct her to leave immediately, according to one source familiar with the discussion. Instead, Trump reportedly asked, “What day works best for you?”

Gabbard selected June 19 as her departure date and Trump later announced the revised timeline on Truth Social and confirmed that Pulte would oversee the intelligence office on an interim basis while a permanent nominee is chosen and confirmed by the Senate.

Still, lawmakers from both parties have raised concerns about Pulte’s lack of military and intelligence experience and the absence of a security clearance.

New: The Mediaite One-Sheet "Newsletter of Newsletters"
Your daily summary and analysis of what the many, many media newsletters are saying and reporting. Subscribe now!