A senior Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee said Sunday that Bill Pulte is not qualified to serve permanently as Director of National Intelligence, though he characterized Pulte’s current appointment as a temporary stopgap.
President Donald Trump on June 2 named Pulte, director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, as acting DNI after Tulsi Gabbard resigned to care for her husband, Abraham Williams, who is being treated for an aggressive form of cancer.
Although Trump said Thursday that Pulte would not be his “permanent” choice for the top intelligence post, Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., said Pulte is “not qualified” to serve as DNI permanently. Lankford pointed to Pulte’s lack of national security experience.
“He’s not qualified for the long-term position, that’s been clear on this. He has no national security background,” Lankford told Fox News, according to The Hill. “This is a short-term interim, few weeks to a month type role to be able to put him in there, just because Tulsi Gabbard has had to be able to step aside at this point to be able to take care of her husband, who’s going through medical treatments on that.”
Pulte’s critics have accused him of using FHFA authorities against several prominent Trump opponents, including New York Attorney General Letitia James, Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., and Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook. Pulte and his allies have argued that he was pursuing legitimate mortgage-fraud concerns.
Former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., warned Wednesday that anyone serving in the nation’s top intelligence post must meet the national security qualifications required by law.
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