Trump Appoints FHFA Director Bill Pulte as Acting Director of National Intelligence

President Donald Trump on Tuesday appointed Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte as acting director of national intelligence, a move that drew immediate criticism from Democrats and at least one Republican senator.

Pulte, who has no known prior experience in an intelligence role, will succeed Tulsi Gabbard as the nation's top intelligence official. In his new capacity, he will oversee agencies including the CIA and the National Security Agency — while simultaneously continuing to serve as FHFA director and chairman of the mortgage groups Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, who is retiring, was among the most vocal critics of the appointment. Speaking on CNBC's "Squawk Box" Wednesday morning, Tillis called Pulte an "incendiary attack dog" and said flatly that he does not believe the nominee has a path to full Senate confirmation.

"I don't think he has a prayer" of making it through the Senate and becoming the permanent DNI, Tillis said.

The retiring senator did, however, acknowledge that the Trump administration could sidestep the confirmation question entirely by leaving Pulte in the acting role indefinitely, never seeking a permanent appointment.

Pulte's tenure at the FHFA has been marked by aggressive action against figures perceived as adversaries of the Trump administration. He has leveled allegations of mortgage-related wrongdoing against Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook and New York Attorney General Letitia James, among others.

That record has fueled concern among analysts that Pulte could bring a similarly political approach to the intelligence community — an institution that depends heavily on nonpartisan credibility to carry out its work. Analysts worry that politicizing the office could hamper the country's intelligence-gathering efforts.

Pulte's new role will give him access to some of the nation's most tightly held secrets, a fact that has amplified unease on both sides of the aisle about the dual-role arrangement.

The White House has not indicated whether it intends to pursue a formal Senate confirmation for Pulte or keep him in the acting designation, leaving the scope and duration of his tenure at the DNI an open question as congressional opposition continues to build.