‘We don’t need a weaponized DNI’: Senate Majority Leader John Thune responds to Trump naming Bill Pulte acting intelligence chief

Senate Majority Leader John Thune has reportedly signaled he wants professionalism, not political moves, in the latest intelligence leadership change. According to The Hill, President Donald Trump recently named Bill Pulte, the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency and a well-known homebuilder, to serve as acting director of national intelligence.

Pulte has faced sharp criticism from Democrats for using mortgage records to investigate President Trump’s political opponents during his time at the Federal Housing Finance Agency, per The Hill. According to the outlet, Thune noted that if the administration seeks to make the appointment permanent, Pulte will have to go through the full Senate confirmation process, including hearings.

When asked if he worried about Pulte using the role to go after political opponents, Thune told reporters, “We don’t need a weaponized DNI; we need professionals there,” per The Hill.

Thune says a permanent appointment would face Senate hearings and scrutiny

Thune said any permanent nomination would set off a tough Senate confirmation process that includes hearings and close review. The process has apparently tripped up other picks before, including a nominee who pulled out of a Senate vote after facing criticism from his own party.

Thune said, “If they nominate him to take the position permanently, he’ll have to go through a confirmation process and hearings and everything else, so we’ll see,” per The Hill. He added that he was still learning more about the administration’s broader plan, saying, “If he’s somebody they want in that position permanently, he’s got a, as you all know, a lengthy road ahead of him.”

Regarding Cook, Pulte claimed she listed two homes as primary residences to get better mortgage rates. According to The Hill, reports from last year also indicated that Pulte issued criminal referrals to the Justice Department against Letitia James over allegations of homeowner’s insurance fraud.

Some members of the Senate Intelligence Committee reportedly said they were confused by the pick. Senator Susan Collins, a senior member of the committee, admitted she was not familiar with Pulte’s background, per The Hill. When asked if the heir to the Pulte Homes fortune had any experience in the intelligence field, she said, “I have no knowledge of this individual at all,” according to the outlet. 

In a statement cited by The Hill, Warner said, “Americans have already seen Mr. Pulte use the powers of his office at the Federal Housing Finance Agency to pursue the president’s grievances and lend credibility to dubious prosecutions of President Trump’s perceived political opponents.” These concerns apparently add to a broader pattern in which one Democratic senator is expecting increased GOP opposition to Trump’s actions.

He also warned that the move suggests a change in how intelligence is handled, stating in the statement, “Elevating him to oversee the Intelligence Community makes clear that this president is not looking for an intelligence leader who will follow the facts or speak truth to power, but rather someone who will be willing to shape intelligence around the president’s wishes, regardless of the cost to the American people.”