Who Is Bill Pulte? New US Spy Chief Who Trump Tapped To 'Manage Most Sensitive Matters'

Last Updated:June 02, 2026, 20:08 IST

Trump names FHFA head Bill Pulte acting Director of National Intelligence as Tulsi Gabbard steps down June 30 to care for her husband with rare bone cancer

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday named Bill Pulte, the head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), as the acting Director of National Intelligence (DNI), following the announcement by Tulsi Gabbard that she will step down from the role later this month.

Pulte will continue overseeing the FHFA while also retaining leadership positions at the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac). He will now add the intelligence post to his existing responsibilities on an interim basis.

Announcing the decision on Truth Social, President Trump praised Pulte’s experience managing major financial institutions and sensitive matters.

“William has deep experience managing the most sensitive matters in America, the safety and soundness of the Markets, and over 10 Trillion Dollars at Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac, a substantial increase from where it was just 12 months ago…Congratulation to Director Pulte!" Trump wrote.

All About Bill Pulte 

At 38, Pulte became the fifth FHFA director when he took charge of the agency in March 2025. A graduate of Northwestern University, he previously worked in housing, homebuilding and community development. He founded investment firm Pulte Capital Partners LLC in 2011 and later served on the board of Pulte Homes, one of the largest homebuilding companies in the United States.

The appointment comes as Gabbard prepares to leave office on June 30. On May 23, she announced her resignation, saying she wanted to focus on supporting her husband, Abraham Williams, who has been diagnosed with an “extremely rare form of bone cancer."

Gabbard, who has served as DNI since February 2025 and is also a US military officer, will become the eighth person to exit the role. Her departure had fuelled speculation of policy disagreements with Trump, particularly regarding the conflict involving Iran, though she publicly cited her husband’s health condition as the reason for stepping down.

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Manisha Roy

Manisha Roy is a Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com's general desk. She comes with an experience of over 5 years in media industry. She covers politics and other hard news. She can be contacted at Manish...Read More

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