Trump Appoints Loyalists to Key Positions, Sparking Controversy

President Donald Trump has appointed a loyalist with no national security experience as the head of US intelligence.

Federal Housing Finance Agency chief Bill Pulte, who is known for publicly attacking Mr Trump's political enemies, would also retain his existing jobs overseeing federal housing and mortgage policies.

Mr Pulte was named as the acting director of national intelligence (DNI), replacing Tulsi Gabbard.

Ms Gabbard, herself a controversial pick for the job, resigned in late May, ending a tenure that saw her appear to be at odds with Mr Trump over his war on Iran.

The DNI, who heads the US intelligence community and serves as the president's main advisor on intelligence issues, is legally required to have "extensive national security expertise", which Mr Pulte lacks.

Mr Trump hailed Mr Pulte in a social media post announcing the appointment, saying he "has deep experience managing the most sensitive matters in America, the safety and soundness of the Markets".

Mr Pulte, 38, has been described by some US media as the president's "attack dog".

He has accused Democratic senator Adam Schiff and New York Attorney General Letitia James of falsifying documents on mortgage applications.

The Wall Street Journal reported that, according to an internal complaint at the Federal National Mortgage Association (FNMA), Mr Pulte had improperly accessed the mortgage records of Ms James and other Democratic officials.

Mr Pulte appointed himself chairman of the FNMA, known as Fannie Mae, upon becoming head of housing finance.

A federal grand jury indicted Ms James in October, but a month later a federal judge dismissed the case without prejudice, leaving open the possibility of the charges being filed again.

The heir to a home-building fortune

Mr Pulte has also championed a mortgage fraud case against US Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook, based on which Mr Trump attempted to fire the monetary policymaker.

That case is pending before the Supreme Court.

The heir to a home building fortune, Mr Pulte has polarised many, even within Mr Trump's circle, with his aggressive and public political actions.

Democrats took took aim at Mr Pulte's lack of experience and history of targeting Mr Trump's opponents.

Mark Warner, the vice-chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said Mr Pulte appeared to have been chosen "because the White House believes he will provide the narrative it wants, not the intelligence we need".

"The president has chosen an official who has demonstrated not just willingness but eagerness to use the authorities of government to pursue political retribution," Mr Warner said in a statement.

And top Democrat Chuck Schumer called Mr Pulte a "partisan thug".

"A guy who can file such baseless, political and outrageous charges against political office holders he doesn't like can't be entrusted to protect our national security," he said.

Vice-President JD Vance came to Mr Pulte's defence, describing him in a social media post as a "great guy who recognises that the bureaucracy of the intel community must respond to the elected leadership (rather than the other way around)".

Mehmet Oz, the administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, declined to comment on Mr Pulte's qualifications during a briefing at the White House on Tuesday.

On housing finance, he has championed the introduction of a 50-year mortgage in the United States, a proposal that has enraged many in the MAGA movement.

He has also fired internal ethics watchdogs at Fannie Mae who were investigating his own allies, characterising those moves as a way to end the diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies Mr Trump has sought to purge from the US government.

Those fired have includes those who raised complaints about Mr Pulte's access to mortgage applications from Mr Schiff and Ms James.

Mr Pulte has fallen out with his family over the future of their PulteGroup company and left its board in 2020.

In 2025, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent threatened to punch Mr Pulte at a dinner at a private club, according to the Wall Street Journal and Politico.