Trump Reverses Course on Intel Chief Appointment Amid Republican Backlash

In a surprising move, former President Donald Trump has completely changed course regarding his choice for the country’s leading intelligence position.

Trump took to Truth Social to announce his search for a seasoned national security expert to take on the permanent role of Director of National Intelligence. In the interim, he has appointed a loyal supporter to swiftly implement changes within the agency.

“I have instructed him to carry out the immediate and necessary downsizing of the office, returning staff to their original agencies,” Trump stated in his post, while also mentioning his ongoing search for a permanent ODNI leader.

Trump revealed that Bill Pulte, currently serving as the head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, will step in as acting Director of National Intelligence on June 19th. This follows the unexpected resignation of Tulsi Gabbard.

This shift in Trump’s approach comes after a meeting with House Speaker Mike Johnson in the Oval Office. Johnson urged Trump to consider a new nominee to help mitigate Democratic resistance to the renewal of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).

In his Truth Social post, Trump writes that FISA is important to the administration, the military and keeping Americans safe, ‘especially during the World Cup and America250 Celebrations.’

‘If nothing is done, this important Law will expire this week. I am asking Congress to send me a short-term extension of FISA to provide time for the selection and confirmation of a permanent Head of the Agency,’ Trump wrote. 

Earlier reporting claimed their meeting ‘didn’t go very well,’ with Trump pushing back on Johnson’s suggestion that he needed to placate Democrats, according to Politico.

This change in tone comes Trump comes after Johnson met with him in the Oval Office on Tuesday afternoon, pressing him to consider a different nominee in a bid to ease the Democratic opposition threatening FISA’s renewal

The President waved off warnings that his controversial choice, Bill Pulte, could drive Democrats to block the reauthorization of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act

Trump has rebuffed House Speaker Mike Johnson’s plea to drop his pick to replace Tulsi Gabbard as director of national intelligence

As for Johnson, he told reporters the briefing with the President went well but wouldn’t go into specifics, before criticizing Democrats for holding FISA powers ‘hostage.’

Intelligence officials consider FISA one of their most valuable tools for tracking foreign threats, and warn that a lapse would leave agencies in the dark on terrorist networks, spies and cyber adversaries. 

Pulte’s elevation to the post has drawn anger from lawmakers in both parties.

Sources tell the Daily Mail that several top advisors vehemently doubted the decision-making, panicking over Pulte’s absolute lack of intelligence or national security credentials.

However, a defiant Trump has fought back aggressively against the internal dissent, only softening his stance now. 

Gabbard announced in May that she would be resigning from Trump’s cabinet due to her husband’s rare bone cancer. 

Trump elevated Pulte, a longtime aide and current director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, as her replacement. 

The President, however, does not plan to formally nominate Pulte, who will instead serve on an acting basis. 

Pulte is replacing Tulsi Gabbard who resigned last month due to her husband’s rare bone cancer 

Pulte’s elevation to the post has drawn anger from lawmakers in both parties over his lack of national security experience

Installing him temporarily lets the White House sidestep congressional scrutiny, since an acting appointment does not require Senate confirmation. 

‘You’re less shackled,’ Trump said last week when discussing Pulte’s status. ‘It sort of gives you more power, you know, for a somewhat limited period of time.’

Trump added that he plans for Pulte to purge the intelligence community of holdovers from the Obama and Biden administrations.

The President told Pulte that the 18 agencies that he now oversees are ‘unnecessary and/or too big.’ 

Trump told the Wall Street Journal: ‘I’d like to see it smaller. I think there are a lot of people in there that shouldn’t be there.’