Many are perplexed; however, don’t overthink it.
President Trump has announced Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte as acting director of national intelligence, via a Truth Social post earlier today:
PRESIDENT TRUMP – “I am appointing the Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, and Chairman of Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac, William J. Pulte, to serve as Acting Director of National Intelligence. 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!” ~ President DONALD J. TRUMP
In the context of what has taken place in the past 16 months, from CTH perspective an ‘acting’ position in this specific role is essentially a placeholder position. Pulte placed as acting DNI, perhaps (my guess) in lieu of a permanent appointment that cannot yet be made due to other factors.
Deputy DNI Aaron Lucas remains in place. Within the construct of the DNI office, Lucas remaining as Deputy actually facilitates the installation of a placeholder that would otherwise not be possible because legislative regulations and preferences on the DNI post are specifically designed to favor only nominations with background experience in military intelligence and/or long-term intelligence status. {See 50 U.S. Code § 3026}
When congress created the ODNI they outlined: “under ordinary circumstances, it is desirable” that either the director or the principal deputy director of national intelligence be an active-duty commissioned officer in the armed forces or have training or experience in military intelligence activities and requirements. {Go Deep} Also remember, President Trump (T1) was the first administration to elevate the DNI to a cabinet level position. Biden retained that status.
Bill Pulte is viewed as loyal, trustworthy and a solid team player. As a placeholder Pulte makes sense, and that explains retention of his current job in the Federal Housing Finance Agency while he fills the role of ‘acting DNI’. Given the legislative expectations behind the office, Pulte would seemingly have no path to permanent confirmation by the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.
Under the scenario (in my head) that seems to make the most sense, the White House would seem to favor current House Select Committee on Intelligence Chairman Rick Crawford to fill the DNI spot. However, with only a one seat margin in the House pulling a republican member of the House to the cabinet is not plausible. In this scenario an acting appointment makes sense.
HPSCI Chairman Rick Crawford has worked closely with DNI Gabbard and seems like he: (a) wants the job, (b) would be qualified for the job; and more importantly (c) understands the job as executed by DNI Tulsi Gabbard. The last point is the most important. Crawford also fully appreciates how badly the IC was weaponized by political corruption, and he knows (generally) who the bad administrators were in the weaponization of the IC and what actions they took.
Having a DNI that accepts and admits all previous corruption is really important, and unfortunately there are not many names in/out of Washington DC who have any substantive concept of it. Very few; very, very, few people, can fathom just how badly the Intelligence Community has been compromised. What set Tulsi Gabbard apart from the rest was her keen awareness of reality. Crawford does seem to come closest to that frame of mind.
If Rick Crawford was viewed as the best candidate to replace Tulsi, then putting Pulte into position as a placeholder makes sense.
If Republicans lose the House in the midterms, Crawford moves to DNI (seats numbers become moot). If Republicans can gain seats in the Midterms, Crawford can move to DNI. That type of scenario played out is my best guess for why Bill Pulte was announced.
Suspicious Cat remains, well, increasingly suspicious.
