Democrats have criticised Pulte’s selection, saying he lacks intelligence experience and is closely aligned with Trump.
Published On 10 Jun 2026
US President Donald Trump has instructed Bill Pulte to begin reducing staff at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence as soon as he assumes the role of acting intelligence chief.
The directive came in a Truth Social post on Wednesday, as Trump defended his decision to appoint Pulte, a selection that has drawn criticism from lawmakers in both parties.
“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.
Pulte’s nomination has faced strong opposition from Democrats, who have questioned his qualifications for overseeing the US intelligence community.
A businessman with backgrounds in construction and private equity, Pulte has no military or intelligence experience. Critics have described him as a Trump loyalist who has targeted the president’s political opponents.
In Wednesday’s post, Trump said he was already seeking a permanent candidate to lead the ODNI. “I am looking for a permanent ODNI Nominee with experience in National Security,” he wrote.
Pulte’s interim appointment has become a major point of contention in Congress, where Democrats have resisted renewing a controversial surveillance programme until a permanent intelligence chief is chosen.
When Pulte begins his temporary role next week, he will replace former Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who resigned last month after her husband was diagnosed with cancer.
But lawmakers, including Democratic Senator Mark Warner, a senior member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, have sharply criticised the decision. Warner called Pulte “grossly unqualified”.
Warner and other lawmakers have warned that Pulte’s appointment could complicate efforts to renew Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which allows warrantless surveillance of communications involving people outside the United States.
The provision is controversial among Democrats and Republicans because intelligence agencies have also collected information on US citizens through the programme. It permits agencies to gather emails, texts and phone records without warrants when the communications are believed to involve individuals abroad.
Warner said appointing Pulte to lead the ODNI was like “throwing a live hand grenade” into congressional efforts to reauthorise Section 702.
Last week, all but one Senate Democrat and seven Republicans voted against a three-year extension of Section 702, citing concerns over Pulte’s appointment. Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman was the only Democrat to support the measure in the 52-47 vote.
Trump has urged Congress to approve a temporary extension of Section 702, accusing Democrats of blocking the bill for political reasons.
“Just like they did on Border Funding, the Radical Left Dumocrats [sic] are trying to take our National Security hostage because of unrelated issues,” Trump wrote on Wednesday. “They should stop playing politics with the safety of our Great Country.”
Trump has also faced criticism from some Republicans, including congressional leaders who have called on him to choose a permanent intelligence chief to resolve the dispute.
“We don’t need a weaponised DNI [director of national intelligence],” Senate Majority Leader John Thune told reporters. “We need professionals here.”
Critics have raised concerns that Pulte could use US intelligence resources to target Trump’s perceived political enemies.
Pulte, 38, currently leads the Federal Housing Finance Agency.
In that role, he has accused several Trump critics of mortgage fraud, including Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, New York Attorney General Letitia James and Democratic Senator Adam Schiff, all of whom Trump has publicly attacked.
Democrats have accused Pulte of using his government position for political purposes.