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Trump Appoints Bill Pulte as Acting DNI; Clayton Nomination Delayed Amid FISA Renewal Dispute

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Intelligence Community in Turmoil as Trump Appoints Novice to Lead ODNI

President Donald Trump appointed Bill Pulte, Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), as acting Director of National Intelligence (DNI) on June 19, 2025, following the resignation of Tulsi Gabbard. Pulte has no prior intelligence or national security experience.

The appointment—which bypasses Senate confirmation—has drawn bipartisan criticism and triggered a standoff over the renewal of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which expired on June 21.

Trump later nominated Jay Clayton, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York and former SEC chairman, as permanent DNI. However, on June 25, Trump delayed Clayton's confirmation hearing, tying it to the approval of a new U.S. Attorney and a voter ID bill, leaving Pulte as acting DNI indefinitely.

Appointment of Bill Pulte

Announcement and Timing

  • Trump announced the appointment of Pulte as acting DNI on June 19, 2025, replacing Tulsi Gabbard.
  • Gabbard's departure date was moved up from June 30 to June 19 by Trump.
  • Pulte arrived at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) a day early, on June 19, catching staff and Gabbard off guard.
  • Trump stated that Pulte's role is temporary and that he is interviewing five candidates for the permanent DNI position.

Qualifications and Background

  • Pulte, 38, was confirmed as FHFA Director by the Senate in March 2025 with a 56-43 vote.
  • He has no prior experience in intelligence, military, law enforcement, or national security.
  • Pulte did not hold any security clearance before his appointment. The ODNI initiated the vetting process on June 20. Trump is expected to grant him access to classified information before he formally assumes the role, potentially bypassing standard vetting procedures.
  • Pulte gained public prominence through social media philanthropy and has been a significant Republican donor, contributing approximately $1 million to candidates and aligned groups during the 2024 election cycle.
  • He is the grandson of a homebuilding magnate and holds a degree in broadcast journalism from Northwestern University.

Actions as FHFA Director

  • Pulte sent criminal referrals to the Justice Department targeting several Democratic officials and a Federal Reserve Governor, including Letitia James, Adam Schiff, Eric Swalwell, and Lisa Cook, alleging mortgage fraud. No charges resulted from these referrals.
  • A case against Letitia James was dismissed by a federal judge.
  • An internal complaint alleged Pulte improperly accessed mortgage records of James and other Democratic officials while at Fannie Mae.
  • The Government Accountability Office (GAO) launched an investigation in December 2025 into whether Pulte abused his position to target political opponents.
  • Pulte proposed a 50-year mortgage and fired internal ethics watchdogs at Fannie Mae.

Early Actions as Acting DNI

  • Upon arrival at ODNI, Pulte requested a list of every ODNI employee to assess potential firings and is considering cutting hundreds of jobs.
  • He asked whether he could bring the President's Daily Brief to his home and inquired about his security clearance level, access to a government plane, and travel options between Washington, D.C., Florida, and Chicago.
  • He requested a protective security detail before starting the job.

Reactions to Pulte's Appointment

Congressional Criticism

Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA), ranking member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, stated Pulte "would not even qualify" under the law, citing a lack of required experience. He argued Pulte is "100% loyal" to Trump and expressed concern about weaponization of intelligence.

  • Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) called Pulte a "partisan thug."
  • Sen. John Thune (R-SD) stated, "We don't need a weaponized DNI. We need professionals there."
  • Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) described Pulte as an "incendiary attack dog" who has no path to Senate confirmation.
  • Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) stated she did not know whether Pulte had a security clearance.
  • Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) declined to comment when asked about Pulte's experience.
  • Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) said Pulte is "not qualified."

Other Statements

  • Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), House Democratic Leader, called Pulte "deeply unqualified," a "political hack," and a "malignant clown."
  • Rep. Jim Himes (D-CT) said the committee will "closely scrutinize" Pulte's actions and argued he is unqualified.

Defense

  • Vice President JD Vance defended Pulte, describing him as "a great guy who recognizes that the bureaucracy of the intel community must respond to the elected leadership."
  • Trump stated Pulte has "deep experience managing the most sensitive matters in America" and that Pulte may "find out some things about the rigged elections."

Nomination of Jay Clayton as Permanent DNI

Announcement

  • On June 19, Trump announced his nomination of Jay Clayton to serve as permanent DNI.
  • Clayton serves as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York and previously chaired the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
  • A confirmation hearing was scheduled for June 25.

Delay of Confirmation

  • On June 25, Trump announced via Truth Social that he was delaying Clayton's nomination and canceling the confirmation hearing.
  • Trump stated he would not proceed with Clayton's confirmation until Jamie McDonald is approved as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York.
  • Trump also demanded that reauthorization of FISA Section 702 be tied to a voter ID bill (the "Save America Act").
  • Bill Pulte will remain acting DNI.

FISA Section 702 Renewal Dispute

Background

  • Section 702 of FISA allows the CIA, NSA, and FBI to collect electronic communications of foreign nationals abroad without a warrant.
  • The law expired on June 21, 2025, after Congress failed to pass an extension.
  • Intelligence collection continues during the lapse because existing court authorizations remain in effect and service providers are legally required to comply.

Key Events

  • Democrats in the Senate stated they would not support renewal of Section 702 unless Trump withdrew Pulte's appointment and nominated a permanent DNI.
  • Trump requested a short-term extension of the law, asking Congress for time to select and confirm a permanent director.
  • The House failed to pass a three-week extension and began a scheduled recess on June 19. The House is expected to return the week of June 22.
  • Senate Republicans proposed a short-term extension, but Democrats rejected it.
  • Trump stated he would not reauthorize FISA without the "Save America Act" (a voter ID bill).

Statements

Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) stated he would support a short-term extension only if Principal Deputy Director Aaron Lukas served as acting director during that period.

  • Sen. John Thune (R-SD) stated that appointing a permanent intelligence director would help secure support for FISA reauthorization.
  • House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) said, "We cannot allow that to go dark."
  • Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) stated Democrats would not support reauthorization if Pulte is installed as DNI.
  • Trump stated, "We can't let them extort us," referring to Democrats.

Nomination of James M. McDonald as U.S. Attorney

Announcement

  • On June 21, Trump announced his intent to nominate James M. McDonald as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York.
  • McDonald is a litigation partner at Sullivan & Cromwell and a personal attorney to Trump.
  • He previously served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the same district, director of enforcement at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission during Trump's first term, and deputy associate counsel in the White House under President George W. Bush.
  • He was part of the legal team handling Trump's appeal of his Manhattan hush money conviction.
  • He represented Indian billionaire Gautam Adani in a case dropped by the Trump administration Justice Department.

Background

  • If confirmed, McDonald would replace Jay Clayton as U.S. Attorney.
  • Trump stated on Truth Social: "I am confident that Jamie will deliver strong results for our Country."
  • Nicholas Biase, spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Manhattan, said, "We welcome the President's choice to lead the SDNY. Mr. McDonald is widely respected."

Resignation of Tulsi Gabbard

Details

  • Gabbard announced her resignation as DNI effective June 30, citing her husband's bone cancer treatment.
  • Her departure was moved up to June 19 by Trump.
  • Gabbard attended an FBI raid on an election facility in Fulton County, Georgia, in January 2025 and authorized the seizure of voting machines in Puerto Rico.