ODNI Interim Director Bill Pulte has been criticized by Democrats as a Trump supporter with no background in intelligence.
Published June 10, 2026
President Donald Trump has directed Bill Pulte to reduce the number of personnel in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence once he becomes acting director of national intelligence.
The order came in a post on Truth Social on Wednesday in which Trump further reinforced his controversial choice of Pruitt.
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“I have nominated William Pulte to serve as Acting Director of National Intelligence, effective June 19th, and have asked him to carry out the necessary immediate reductions in the size of the Department and return staff to their agencies,” Trump wrote.
Pulte’s appointment has sparked a bipartisan backlash, with Democrats in particular questioning his qualifications.
Mr. Prut is a businessman with ties to construction and private equity with no background in intelligence or the military, and critics see him as a Trump supporter who has attacked the president’s critics.
In a post on Wednesday, Trump emphasized that he is already looking for Prut’s successor. “I am seeking a permanent ODNI candidate with national security experience,” he wrote.
But Mr. Pruitt’s short-term appointment has become a flashpoint in Congress, with Democrats refusing to reinstate controversial oversight measures until a permanent nomination is made.
Pulte will take up the interim role next week, replacing former Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who resigned last month after her husband was diagnosed with cancer.
But senators like Democrat Mark Warner, a ranking member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, have criticized Mr. Pelt as “totally unqualified.”
Warner and other leaders have also warned that Pruitt’s appointment will complicate negotiations to update Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which allows warrantless surveillance of communications involving foreign nationals.
This measure is divisive on both sides because it also leads to surveillance of American citizens. This would allow intelligence agencies to collect email, text message, and phone data without a warrant if they believe the communications in question involve individuals outside the United States.
Warner said nominating Pulte to head ODNI would be like “throwing a live grenade” into Congress’ efforts to reauthorize Section 702.
Last week, all but one Senate Democrat and seven Republicans voted against extending Section 702 for three years, citing concerns about Mr. Pulte. Pennsylvania’s John Fetterman was the only Democrat to break his party’s ranks with a 52-47 vote.
But President Trump called on Congress to pass a temporary extension of Section 702, accusing Democrats of blocking the bill.
“Just like they did with border funding, the radical left Democrats are trying to hold our national security hostage over unrelated issues,” President Trump wrote on Wednesday. “They should stop playing politics with the safety of our great country in mind.”
Still, Trump faces pushback from within the Republican Party, and Congressional leaders are urging the president to select a permanent intelligence director to settle the issue.
“We don’t need a DNI[Director of National Intelligence]armed with weapons,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune told reporters. “We need experts here.”
Critics have questioned whether Mr. Pulte will use U.S. intelligence capabilities to persecute people seen as political opponents of President Trump.
Mr. Pulte, 38, currently serves as the head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency.
In that capacity, Mr. Prut accused several of Mr. Trump’s opponents of mortgage fraud. They include Federal Reserve President Lisa Cook, New York Attorney General Letitia James, and Democratic Sen. Adam Schiff, all of whom Trump has personally attacked.
Democrats have accused Pulte, 38, of weaponizing the government’s role for political purposes.
