Trump Announces Bill Pulte — Known for Pushing Mortgage Fraud Allegations Against Trump’s Foes — as New Director of National Intelligence

(Mark Schiefelbein/AP photo)

President Donald Trump has announced he is appointing William Pulte, his Housing Finance Agency boss, as the acting director of National Intelligence.

Trump announced Pulte’s appointment in a Truth Social post on Tuesday morning.

“I am appointing the Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, and Chairman of Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac, William J. Pulte, to serve as Acting Director of National Intelligence,” Trump said in the post.

He added: “William has deep experience managing the most sensitive matters in America, the safety and soundness of the Markets, and over 10 Trillion Dollars at Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac, a substantial increase from where it was just 12 months ago. During this period, he will remain Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, and Chairman of Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac. Congratulations to Director Pulte!”

If the name rings familiar, it’s because he’s the Trump official who dug up the mortgage fraud allegations against Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook, and pushed for the indictment of New York Attorney General Letitia James. He also pushed similar allegations against Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA) and former Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA).

Pulte was also the subject of a Politico report last year that named him as the housing official who pitched Trump on the idea of 50-year mortgages, a notion that was met with criticism on both sides of the aisle.

As a result of the controversial proposal, Pulte faced scorn in the West Wing for selling the president on mortgages that would take a half-century to pay off, according to the report.

Pulte will replace Tulsi Gabbard, who announced her resignation as DNI on May 22.

Gabbard said she would step down from the role to be with her husband, who is suffering from bone cancer.

“Unfortunately, I must submit my resignation, effective June 30, 2026. My husband, Abraham, has recently been diagnosed with an extremely rare form of bone cancer,” she wrote in a letter. “At this time, I must step away from public service to be by his side and fully support him through this battle. Abraham has been my rock throughout our eleven years of marriage — standing steadfast through my deployment to East Africa on a Joint Special Operations mission, multiple political campaigns and now my service in this role.”

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