A Republican senator who has been one of Donald Trump’s most vocal supporters has criticized his selection for director of national intelligence.
The president, 79, said Bill Pulte, 38, a close ally and current director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency and chairman of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, will replace Tulsi Gabbard, who resigned last month, citing her husband’s cancer diagnosis.
Pulte is the grandson of billionaire homebuilding mogul William J. Pulte.
His selection caught many observers off guard, both because Pulte lacks a traditional intelligence background and because Trump had previously indicated that Aaron Lukas, Gabbard’s deputy, would temporarily take over the role.
But Lukas’ potential elevation had drawn criticism from some prominent MAGA figures. Among them was Trump ally Laura Loomer, who argued that Lukas was part of what she called the “career, Deep State CIA” establishment.
In a CNBC interview Wednesday morning, Sen. Kevin Cramer, who was one of the earliest lawmakers to endorse Trump in 2016, called Pulte a “funny pick” for director of national intelligence.
“I think it’s a funny pick, to say the least. It seems like a funny pick. It’s interim for now, I guess—we’ll see. But I think it’s an odd pick,” the North Dakota Republican said.
He added: “But remember, he’s replacing Tulsi Gabbard, who was a Democrat not very long ago. And she and I were House members together and classmates, so we could have said that was a bit of a funny pick as well.”
The senator went on to predict that it is “pretty unlikely” Pulte will receive full confirmation from the Senate for his role.
“Full confirmation of him would, I think, in this environment, be pretty unlikely. I don’t know him well enough to know whether he has the credentials to do the job, but that’s a problem,” he said.
Cramer is not the only person who has questioned Pulte’s appointment.
Former Obama adviser David Axlerod wrote in a post on X that Trump had appointed someone “with no relevant experience” to oversee the United States’ intelligence agencies while the nation is at war with Iran.
“Think about this: the nation’s at war and the @POTUS appoints his political hatchet man, with no relevant experience, as Director of National Intelligence!?!” Axlerod said.
The White House has dismissed the criticism.
“The President chooses the best and most talented people to serve in his Cabinet. That is why this Administration has achieved record successes for the American people. Bill Pulte is a great selection and he will do a great job on behalf of the American people,” White House spokesman Davis Ingle told the Daily Beast.
Pulte’s tenure at the Federal Housing Finance Agency has been marked by a series of high-profile controversies. He has drawn attention for pursuing mortgage-fraud allegations against several prominent Trump critics, including Letitia James, Adam Schiff, and Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook.
He has also been linked to internal White House drama. According to reports, Pulte was the person who first showed Trump an AI-generated image depicting the president as Jesus Christ, which Trump later shared publicly.
Pulte also reportedly got into a heated confrontation with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
The dispute reportedly centered on claims that Pulte had been speaking negatively about Bessent to Trump, leading to an explosive exchange at a private dinner in Washington, where Bessent reportedly threatened to punch him.
“Why the f--- are you talking to the president about me? F--- you,” the fiery treasury secretary told Pulte during a dinner at Donald Trump Jr.’s exclusive club in D.C., according to Politico.
“I’m gonna punch you in your f---ing face.”
