WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump announced Thursday that Bill Pulte, the federal housing finance regulator he selected as acting director of national intelligence, will not receive his nomination for the permanent position.
The Republican president’s decision follows days of bipartisan criticism from lawmakers on Capitol Hill regarding Pulte’s absence of national security background. The role requires Senate approval, which legislators suggested would be unlikely if Pulte were nominated.
“He’s not going to be permanent because, you know, I don’t think he’d want to be permanent,” Trump stated during a question session in the Oval Office following a coal-related event. He described Pulte as a “very smart guy” and mentioned he might examine previous elections that Trump alleges, without credible evidence, were “rigged” against him.
Trump indicated that other potential nominees are being evaluated for the position. “We’re interviewing people right now,” he stated.
Pulte, whose grandfather established PulteGroup, has generated controversy within the administration through his role as director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency and his supervision of mortgage entities Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
In his current position, Pulte has targeted Trump’s perceived political opponents over alleged mortgage fraud and has publicly criticized Jerome Powell, whose Federal Reserve chairman tenure recently concluded following months of attacks from Trump and Pulte over interest rate policies. The federal housing finance regulator also promoted a 50-year mortgage concept that failed because it would delay wealth accumulation through homeownership.
Senators from both parties voiced reservations about Pulte’s qualifications for overseeing the coordination of 18 federal agencies handling domestic and international security matters. Trump’s original director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, stepped down last month due to her husband’s cancer diagnosis.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, a Republican from South Dakota, stated the national intelligence director position shouldn’t be “weaponized” and requires leadership by “professionals.”
Republican Sens. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and John Cornyn of Texas, who are each leaving the chamber after this year’s elections, also expressed concerns about Pulte.
During Wednesday’s hearing, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent acknowledged reports that he had threatened to oppose Pulte in September of 2025, demonstrating the tensions the federal housing finance director created within the administration.
However, Pulte maintains a strong relationship with Trump as a regular Air Force One passenger.
“He’s a person who’s got high integrity,” Trump said Thursday about Pulte.
