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U.S. President Donald Trump appointed Bill Pulte, a close ally with no national security experience, as acting director of national intelligence on Tuesday, replacing Tulsi Gabbard.
Pulte, 38, is the head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency and also serves as chair of mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
Trump said Pulte would continue in those housing-related roles while serving as the country’s top intelligence official.
“William has deep experience managing the most sensitive matters in America,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
Pulte leads the Federal Housing Finance Agency, which oversees the regulation of federal housing lenders Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
In that role, he appointed himself chair of both mortgage giants.
Trump said Pulte would remain director of the FHFA and chair of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac while serving as acting director of national intelligence.
Pulte is heir to a home construction company fortune and has been a vocal supporter of Trump.
He has publicly attacked the president’s political opponents, with some U.S. media describing him as Trump’s “attack dog.”
Pulte has used his position at the FHFA to publicly make accusations against Trump’s political opponents and critics.
He has accused Democratic Senator Adam Schiff and New York Attorney General Letitia James of falsifying documents on mortgage applications.
Pulte also championed the mortgage fraud case against U.S. Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook.
Trump attempted to fire Cook based on that case.
Pulte replaces Gabbard, who resigned in late May.
Gabbard’s tenure saw her appear to be at odds with Trump over his war on Iran.
Gabbard, a former Democratic Party member, had been a controversial choice to lead U.S. intelligence agencies.
She had also been a longtime critic of U.S. interventions in foreign conflicts.
Gabbard said she was leaving public office after her husband was diagnosed with an “extremely rare form of bone cancer.”
She said she wanted to “fully support him through this battle.”
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