The New York Times editorial board issued a blistering verdict on President Donald Trump's appointment of Bill Pulte as acting director of national intelligence Wednesday, concluding that his ousted predecessor, Tulsi Gabbard, widely criticized as unqualified herself, "almost seems qualified in comparison."
The editorial board's assessment lands as bipartisan Senate opposition to Pulte continues to grow, with Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) both saying they don't even know whether Pulte has been cleared to handle classified information.
"It is chilling to think about how he might use his power as the director of national intelligence, a job that will give him access to sensitive secrets about Americans and foreigners alike. His appointment is a threat to the effective functioning of the intelligence community, national security and the rule of law," the board wrote.
Pulte currently heads the Federal Housing Finance Agency and chairs Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, neither of which has any connection to national intelligence. The law creating the DNI position requires the officeholder to have "extensive national security expertise," and Pulte has none.
His path to the job, the board noted, ran through Mar-a-Lago. He worked his way into Trump's orbit by posting friendly content online and befriending the president's son Eric at the Florida resort, along with contributing nearly $1 million to Republican causes in 2024.
At his housing post, Pulte used access to Fannie Mae mortgage documents to target Trump's political enemies, including New York Attorney General Letitia James and California Democratic Sen. Adam Schiff — and fired officials who tried to investigate his conduct. A former federal prosecutor has warned that Pulte could use expanded DNI surveillance powers to go after Trump's political opponents ahead of the midterms.
The Times editorial board concluded that Congress should refuse to pass ICE funding and FISA reauthorization until Trump removes him, calling the 210-day acting appointment "210 days too many."