The appointment comes shortly after the resignation of Tulsi Gabbard, who is expected to remain with the agency until June 30 to assist with the transition process.
Who is Bill Pulte? Trump’s pick to lead US intelligence after Tulsi Gabbard exit. (ANI)
A major leadership shift is set to take place at the top of the US intelligence structure after US President Donald Trump announced that Bill Pulte will take charge as Acting Director of National Intelligence (DNI) from June 19, while continuing his existing responsibilities in the housing sector.
The appointment comes shortly after the resignation of Tulsi Gabbard, who is expected to remain with the agency until June 30 to assist with the transition process. The move has placed renewed focus on the future direction of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) and Trump’s plans for restructuring the agency.
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Announcing the decision on Truth Social, US President Donald Trump said, “William Pulte, who is working closely with Tulsi Gabbard, will be taking over as Acting Director of National Intelligence on Friday, June 19.”
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Trump also confirmed that Pulte will continue serving as Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency and Chairman of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Speaking to The Wall Street Journal, Trump said he had asked Pulte to begin workforce reductions within the intelligence agency. “I’d like to see it smaller. I think there are a lot of people in there that shouldn’t be there,” Trump said. He added that whoever is eventually appointed as the permanent DNI should continue with the same measures.
Under US law, an acting Director of National Intelligence can serve for up to 210 days if a permanent appointment is not confirmed by the Senate. This provision could allow Pulte to continue in the position until the upcoming midterm elections in November.
The announcement followed Tulsi Gabbard’s decision to step down from the DNI position. Gabbard is leaving the role to support her husband, Abraham Williams, after his diagnosis with a rare type of bone cancer.
In her resignation letter, Gabbard thanked Trump for the opportunity to lead the intelligence office and said she would support a smooth transition before departing.
“Thank you for your understanding during this deeply personal and difficult time for our family,” Gabbard wrote.
William J. Pulte became the 5th Director of U.S. Federal Housing on March 14, 2025, after being nominated by US President Donald J. Trump and receiving bipartisan confirmation from the US Senate.
In that role, Pulte oversees Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the Federal Home Loan Banks.
Graduated from Northwestern University, Pulte initially built a career in homebuilding, housing products and community development before entering government service. In 2011, he founded Pulte Capital Partners LLC, an investment firm focused on building and housing products.
He also served on the board of Pulte Homes, a Fortune 500 company and one of the largest homebuilders in the US.
Beyond his corporate career, Pulte has been associated with philanthropic initiatives. He founded the Blight Authority, a nonprofit organisation focused on removing urban blight in Detroit, MI, St. Louis, MO, and Pontiac, MI. Pulte also started Twitter philanthropy, where he gave hundreds of thousands of dollars to various causes directly through Twitter (now X) and engaged millions of followers.
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