In a lengthy social media post, Trump reiterated that Pulte would be in the post temporarily, replacing Tulsi Gabbard, who is departing this month, citing her husband’s diagnosis with an aggressive form of cancer.However, during his short tenure, Pulte, who has come under scrutiny for his lack of national security experience, will be responsible for reforming ODNI, which conservatives have criticized as redundant.
“I have named William Pulte to be Acting Director of National Intelligence, who will take over on June 19th, and have asked him to execute the immediate and needed downsizing of the office, reverting staff to their home agencies,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Wednesday. “At the same time, I am looking for a permanent ODNI Nominee with experience in National Security.”
ODNI, created after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, oversees 17 other intelligence-related federal agencies, but 25 years later, critics argue it replicates much of those agencies’ work.
Trump told the Wall Street Journal last week that he had asked Pulte, his Federal Housing Finance Agency director and chairman of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, to “start the process” of firing ODNI employees.
“I’d like to see it smaller,” the president told the outlet. “I think there are a lot of people in there that shouldn’t be there.”
