Bill Pulte, director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, will oversee America's sprawling spy agencies. AFPBill Pulte, director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, will oversee America's sprawling spy agencies. AFPFederal Housing Finance Agency director has no national security experienceThe NationalJune 02, 2026HeadphonesBookmarkPresident Donald Trump on Tuesday appointed a housing official with no national security experience as acting ⁠director of national intelligence.Bill Pulte, 38, will oversee America's sprawling national security apparatus at a time of global tensions and conflicts. The Trump loyalist leads the Federal Housing Finance Agency and has used his position to push for investigations into several of Mr Trump's perceived enemies for alleged mortgage fraud. None have yet resulted in criminal ⁠charges. He replaces the departing Tulsi Gabbard, who leaves at the end of the month. She said last month that she was resigning to support her husband, who has had a cancer diagnosis.Mr Trump said Mr Pulte “has deep experience managing the ‌most sensitive matters in America”.But Democrats and at least one Republican said Mr Pulte was unqualified to oversee US intelligence services.“I don't see any evidence of qualifications for that job,” said Republican John Cornyn, a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee who lost a primary election last week ​to a Trump-backed challenger.Mr Pulte has encouraged prosecutions of Mr Trump's perceived political enemies, accusing New York Attorney General Letitia James and California Senator ‌Adam Schiff, both Democrats, and Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, an ⁠appointee of Democratic former President Joe Biden, of mortgage fraud.Mr Pulte will oversee the premier foreign spy service, the CIA, and the National Security Agency, the organisation that eavesdrops on foreign communications and helps to defend the US against cyberattacks.Updated: June 02, 2026, 7:29 PMMost popular today12345678910