President Donald Trump’s new Director of National Intelligence, Bill Pulte, who is under fire for his total lack of experience, was apparently fixated on accessing a government jet.
The 38-year-old, who has zero national security, intelligence or law enforcement experience, is replacing outgoing DNI Tulsi Gabbard as acting director until the role is permanently filled.
Trump said Pulte’s first day on the job would be June 19, but he showed up a day early, according to CNN.
It came after he had only one other briefing with ODNI before taking on the job, according to the report, and he showed up at the office last week with some questions for staff, including whether he would have access to a government jet.
The housing director turned spy chief’s inquiry came during a meeting that was supposed to be focused on briefing Pulte about the office’s core mission.
Pulte repeatedly questioned whether he would get his own plane, a source familiar with the matter told CNN. The report described it as “appearing almost overly fixated on his ability to travel between DC, Florida and Chicago—between which he splits his time.”
It comes as Republican and Democratic members of Congress have sounded the alarms on Pulte being put in the position at all, which requires relevant experience by law.
Critics have raised concerns that the only reason it appears Pulte, the grandson of construction giant William Pulte, was put in the position was his loyalty to Trump and willingness to go after the president’s perceived political foes.
The Daily Beast asked the ODNI what kind of access Pulte, as DNI, is expected to have to a government jet but did not immediately receive a response.
While the director of national intelligence does have access to government planes for official business, the position does not have the same required-use provision that mandates they travel only by government jet, as is policy for the attorney general and FBI director.
However, even though he is required to use a government plane, FBI Director Kash Patel has repeatedly come under fire for his frequent use of the taxpayer-funded plane, including to visit his girlfriend, go on a hunting adventure, and play golf. Patel has denied abusing his access.
In that same briefing where he repeatedly inquired about the plane, Pulte also asked about his security clearance level, which is top secret.
Senators pointed out that Pulte did not have the security clearance when Trump named him to the job while voicing their concerns about his appointment in recent weeks.
Pulte also raised alarms among intelligence officials, according to one CNN source, when he asked staff if he could take the highly classified President’s Daily Brief to his house, but a second source pushed back, noting that the briefing is provided electronically.
The new spy chief also requested a protective security detail before starting the job, according to the first CNN source.
Trump has repeatedly defended appointing Pulte as acting DNI, calling him “very smart” and “brilliant.”
The president this week upended senators’ push to have Jay Clayton quickly confirmed to the position permanently when he directed him not to appear for his confirmation hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee until his other demands are met, such as the confirmation of Clayton’s replacement as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York.
Trump also wants the key spying law, FISA, renewed but also insists Congress pass the SAVE America Act at the same time, which has no chance of passing. It wouldn’t even receive 50 GOP votes in the Senate, never mind the necessary 60.
Trump’s demands sparked confusion on Capitol Hill as Republicans, who expressed grave concerns with Pulte, had been quick to praise Clayton for the role. But Trump said Pulte will stay in the role “as long as it takes.”
