← Chronicle · Succession · June 19, 2026

Bill Pulte Becomes Acting Director of National Intelligence

Bill Pulte became acting Director of National Intelligence on June 19, 2026. President Trump had announced on June 2, 2026 that Pulte — the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency and chairman of the boards of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac — would serve as acting DNI on a temporary basis, and a June 10, 2026 letter from the Democratic members of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence records that Pulte would assume the role on June 19, eleven days earlier than expected. He kept his housing-finance roles while serving as acting DNI.

Pulte succeeded Tulsi Gabbard, whose service as DNI ended in June 2026 (see the May 22, 2026 entry; this chronicle states no reason for her resignation, on which reporting conflicts). His acting tenure ran until Jay Clayton was confirmed and sworn in as DNI on August 3, 2026 (see the August 3, 2026 entry).

The appointment drew attributed criticism from congressional Democrats: the House Intelligence Committee Democrats’ June 10 letter and a June 2026 minority staff report of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee both argued that Pulte lacked a background in intelligence, foreign policy, or defense, and questioned the appointment against the statutory requirement of extensive national security expertise for the DNI. The House letter also noted the acting period could run up to 210 days under the vacancies law.

Sources: Trump Team Report roster audit, research cluster C (banked 2026-10-18): Gabbard DNI to June 2026, Bill Pulte acting DNI June–August 2026, Clayton sworn August 3, 2026; Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee minority staff report, June 2026 (banking.senate.gov): appointment announced June 2, 2026, Pulte’s FHFA and Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac roles; House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, Democratic members’ letter to the President, June 10, 2026 (house.gov): assumption of the acting role on June 19, 2026 and the 210-day acting period.