Huh?
I KNEW Trump had no use for the American Intelligence Community…
But putting William Pulte, who owned a construction company and private equity firm, that has no high-level national security experience IS to give the spy’s the finger….
Oh?
Pulte STILL is the head of Federal Housing Finance Agency?
I suppose the ONLY qualification ole Pulte needed was Blind Allegiance to Donald and willingness to use Mortgage Fraud cases to help Trump go after people….
One doubts this guy would get permeant US Senate confirmation…
President Trump named William Pulte, the head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, to serve as the acting head of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
In tapping Pulte, Trump turns to an ally who has been behind referring several of his foes for prosecution for alleged mortgage fraud. Pulte would replace Tulsi Gabbard, who resigned last month.
“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. During this period, he will remain Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, and Chairman of Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac. Congratulations to Director Pulte!” Trump wrote on his social media site.
It’s an unusual selection for several reasons. Pulte, who previously owned a construction company and private equity firm, has no high-level national security experience….
…
As the chief intelligence officer tasked with helping to coordinate and oversee more than a dozen agencies within the intelligence community, it’s also highly unusual for anyone in the role to remain as the head of other agencies.
The idea did not receive warm feedback from Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.), who suggested a more permanent role would not be welcomed by the Senate.
“Well, we don’t need a weaponized DNI, we need professionals there,” he told reporters.
“So, again, I’ve just heard about it. I’ll try and get more information about the current state of their thinking about that position, and again, if he’s somebody they want in that position permanently, he’s got, as you all know, a lengthy road ahead of him.”
And Democrats were swift to sound the alarm, with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) calling Pulte a “partisan thug with no experience in intelligence,” while others stressed the risks of tapping someone with no background in national security.
“This appointment speaks volumes about what this president expects from the nation’s top intelligence official….
*Update….
GOP Senator’s ARE NOT Happy with this….
Republican senators are expressing bewilderment at President Trump’s choice of Bill Pulte, the director the Federal House Finance Agency, to serve as the acting director of national intelligence (DNI), with some calling him “unqualified” because of his lack of national security or intelligence credentials.
Trump’s pick of Pulte, a loyal deputy who has raised allegations of mortgage fraud against some of Trump’s political adversaries, such as New York Attorney General Letitia James and Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), to oversee the nation’s intelligence agencies while the nation is embroiled in a conflict with Iran, caught Republican senators by surprise Tuesday.
Republicans senators say they have no oversight over the president’s choice of people to serve as acting Cabinet-level officials but they signaled that Pulte could have a tough time getting 51 votes to be confirmed as DNI for a longer term.
“The Senate doesn’t have any role to play in terms of confirming acting officials but I see no evidence of any qualifications for that job,” Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), a senior member of the Intelligence Committee, said of Trump’s pick of Pulte to serve as DNI for the foreseeable future.
Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) said he doesn’t know much about Pulte but remarked that he doesn’t appear to be qualified to serve as the president’s principal advisor to the president on all matters related to national security….
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