GOP Senate Leader Claims Trump is ‘Weighing Seriously’ a New DNI Pick to Replace BIll Pulte — Who He Appointed Last Week

A week after President Donald Trump appointed Bill Pulte to take over as acting Director of National Intelligence, it seems the White House is already looking to move on from him.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) signaled on Tuesday that the Trump administration may soon announce a more permanent pick for the DNI role, The Hill reported.

“I don’t think about replacing Pulte,” Thune said on Capitol Hill on Tuesday. “I think they’re weighing seriously making a long-term pick.

Pulte, the former head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, was named by Trump just last week to replace Tulsi Gabbard, who stepped down from Trump’s cabinet while her husband battles cancer.

The pick quickly ignited controversy, given Pulte’s lack of military or intelligence experience, and his efforts to dig up mortgage fraud allegations against Trump’s perceived enemies, like New York Attorney General Letitia James (D) and Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook.

It’s not the first time Thune has spoken out against the Pulte appointment.

When asked about the possibility of Pulte potentially weaponizing his position last week, Thune said, “We don’t need a weaponized DNI; we need professionals there.”

Watch above via CNN.

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