US President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced the appointment of William J Pulte, the current director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), as the interim Director of National Intelligence (DNI). This appointment comes ahead of Tulsi Gabbard's departure from the post to care for her husband, who is battling an extremely rare form of bone cancer.
Pulte also heads the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) and the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae). He will continue to hold all three positions while serving as caretaker DNI.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump stated, "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!"
Pulte, 38, was sworn in as the head of the FHFA in March last year, becoming the fifth person to hold the post. A graduate of Northwestern University, he built a career in homebuilding, housing products, and community development before taking charge of the agency. In 2011, he founded Pulte Capital Partners LLC, an investment firm focused on building and housing products. He also served on the board of Pulte Homes, a Fortune 500 company and one of the largest homebuilders in the United States.
On May 23, Gabbard announced that she would step down as DNI, with her final day in office set for June 30, to be by the side of her husband, Abraham Williams, who has been diagnosed with an extremely rare form of bone cancer. Gabbard, who also serves as an officer in the US military, has been the eighth DNI since February 2025. Her departure comes amid reports of differences with Trump over the Iran war, which she was said to be opposed to, although she has cited her husband's health as the reason for stepping down.
