Trump Appoints Bill Pulte as Acting Director of National Intelligence

President Donald Trump announced that Bill Pulte, chairman of Freddie Mac, will serve as the interim director of national intelligence. This follows Tulsi Gabbard’s decision to leave at the end of June.

Trump has directed Pulte to start reducing the size of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) before a permanent director takes charge. Trump expressed concerns about what he perceives as an unnecessarily large agency.

“I want to see it smaller,” Trump told The Wall Street Journal. He expressed skepticism about holdovers from the Obama and Biden administrations working within ODNI. Trump wants Pulte to begin the downsizing process, which he hopes the permanent nominee will continue.

Bill Pulte, currently head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, was named acting director in early June. This interim role does not require Senate approval, and Pulte can serve for up to 210 days. Trump noted that Pulte’s temporary position could facilitate changes before a permanent director is confirmed.

The White House has not indicated if Pulte will be considered for the permanent position. Trump asserted that Pulte is fit to initiate restructuring, implying that this would ease the transition for a new director.

Support for Downsizing

Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Tom Cotton supports Trump’s plan, citing the ODNI’s expansion beyond its original mission. Cotton advocates for significant downsizing, if not elimination, of the office. “Time to return these officers back to their home agencies to focus on actual intelligence work,” he wrote.

Originally established in 2004, ODNI was created to enhance U.S. intelligence agency coordination post 9/11. However, Cotton has criticized its growth, proposing legislation in 2026 to cap its size at 650 employees. At the beginning of Trump’s second term, the office had about 1,800 employees, although Gabbard reduced this by 25% during her tenure.

Controversy Over Appointment

Some lawmakers were surprised by Pulte’s appointment due to his lack of intelligence or national security experience. Former Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell and Senator Mark Warner voiced concerns. McConnell emphasized the importance of a nominee with significant national security experience.

Despite criticism, Trump maintains that Pulte’s interim role positions him uniquely to implement necessary changes at ODNI. The president wants Pulte to begin this process ahead of a permanent director taking over, achieving much of the restructuring effort in the interim period.