{"id":2615975,"date":"2026-06-19T06:36:59","date_gmt":"2026-06-19T10:36:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/bill-pulte-takes-over-as-dni-with-no-fisa-off-ramp-in-sight\/"},"modified":"2026-06-19T06:38:38","modified_gmt":"2026-06-19T10:38:38","slug":"bill-pulte-takes-over-as-dni-with-no-fisa-off-ramp-in-sight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/bill-pulte-takes-over-as-dni-with-no-fisa-off-ramp-in-sight\/","title":{"rendered":"Bill Pulte takes over as DNI with no FISA off-ramp in sight"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fbill-pulte-takes-over-as-dni-with-no-fisa-off-ramp-in-sight%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2615975&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte has assumed the role of acting Director of National Intelligence (DNI), succeeding Tulsi Gabbard. his appointment has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/breaking-biden-nomination-of-neera-tanden-to-be-omb-director-goes-down-in-flames\/\" title=\"BREAKING: Biden Nomination Of Neera Tanden To Be OMB Director Goes Down In Flames\">bipartisan opposition due<\/a> to concerns about a housing official serving as the nation&#8217;s intelligence chief. President Donald Trump instructed pulte to downsize the Office of the DNI adn explore firing ODNI staff, emphasizing a desire for a smaller agency with fewer personnel he sees as unneeded. Trump&#8217;s move to make Pulte the acting DNI has disrupted Senate efforts to pass an extension of a key surveillance programme, Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which has expired. Democrats demand Pulte be removed before supporting the extension, and Trump has blocked the confirmation of his intended permanent DNI, Jay Clayton, complicating efforts further. Trump also tied support for the FISA extension to passing the SAVE America Act, a voter ID bill, which has delayed negotiations. Senate leaders and Democrats criticize Trump\u2019s actions,accusing him of undermining national security and obstructing critical intelligence legislation.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Federal Housing Finance Agency Director <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/bill-pulte\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"22738\">Bill Pulte<\/a> officially has another title on his r\u00e9sum\u00e9: acting <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/odni\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"2952\">director of national intelligence<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Friday marks the first day Pulte will serve as acting DNI, taking over from former DNI <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/tulsi-gabbard\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"1024\">Tulsi Gabbard<\/a>, despite bipartisan opposition against the <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >top housing official serving<\/a> as the nation\u2019s intelligence chief.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4614820\/chuck-grassley-democratic-obstruction-fueling-trump-dni-fisa-standoff\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Grassley says Democratic obstruction fueling Trump\u2019s DNI and FISA standoff<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4613776\/gop-sen-roger-marshall-says-iran-have-to-be-able-to-defend-themselves\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Roger Marshall says Iran \u2018have to be able to defend themselves\u2019<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4613474\/trump-sends-senate-gop-reeling-john-thune-intel-chief-chaos\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Trump sends Senate GOP reeling with intelligence chief chaos<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">President Donald Trump has tasked Pulte with downsizing the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, saying in a Truth Social post that staff would be reverted to their home agencies. But Trump has also said he asked Pulte, the chairman of\u00a0Fannie Mae\u00a0and\u00a0Freddie Mac,\u00a0to \u201cstart the process\u201d of firing ODNI employees.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap\" style=\"min-height:5px;\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" style=\"display:none;\">Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI\u2019d like to see it smaller,\u201d the president told the <em>Wall Street Journal<\/em>. \u201cI think there are a lot of people in there that shouldn\u2019t be there.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But Trump\u2019s tapping of Pulte as acting DNI derailed efforts in the Senate to pass an extension of a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/tulsi-gabbard-to-tout-record-of-independence-at-senate-confirmation-hearing-washington-examiner\/\" title=\"Tulsi Gabbard to tout \u2018record of independence... at ... ... - Washington Examiner\">key government surveillance program<\/a> that has since lapsed, with Democrats demanding Pulte be removed from the post before they support any patch of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Trump has dug his heels in against withdrawing Pulte, going so far as to upend Senate Republicans\u2019 efforts to fast-track the president\u2019s permanent DNI pick, U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton, on Wednesday with an early morning Truth Social post calling off Clayton\u2019s confirmation hearing.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap\" style=\"min-height:5px;\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" style=\"display:none;\">Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Clayton, the current U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, was nominated by Trump last week, raising GOP hopes that a deal could be struck with Democrats to install Clayton ahead of Pulte\u2019s starting date and unlock support for a FISA extension.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Trump\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/leading-mi-democrat-posts-obscene-message-on-thoughts-and-prayers-calls-for-gun-control\/\" title=\"Leading MI Democrat ...s Obscene Message On \u2018Thoughts And Prayers,... Calls For Gun Control\">early morning post<\/a>, in which he declared the confirmation process would not continue until the chamber approves Jamie McDonald to replace Clayton in his U.S. attorney post first, dashed those hopes.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) described Trump as \u201cvery committed\u201d to Pulte, but told reporters he didn\u2019t have good answers for why the president upended the Senate\u2019s efforts to install Clayton and get a Section 702 extension passed.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap\" style=\"min-height:5px;\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" style=\"display:none;\">Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe\u2019re just executing or trying to execute on what they had asked us to do,\u201d Thune said. \u201cThey nominated, and we were trying to get them confirmed quickly, in hopes that that would unlock the FISA vote.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Still, Thune said Democrats were not excused for withholding their support to extend the spy program, saying the authority is \u201cjust too important to the country.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThis is a national security issue, and irrespective of what they think of Bill Pulte, they should be working to get FISA authorized, because it is the most important tool we have to keep this country safe,\u201d Thune said.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap\" style=\"min-height:5px;\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" style=\"display:none;\">Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-25\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) told reporters during a Wednesday press conference that Trump calling off Clayton\u2019s confirmation hearing makes it \u201cclear he is undermining our national security.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cHe doesn\u2019t give a damn about the American people\u2019s safety, plain and simple, and every action he takes undercuts our safety through his own ridiculous, sometimes even indiscernible, political motivation,\u201d Schumer said. \u201cTrump\u2019s actions overnight make it clear. The fact that Trump withdrew Jay Clayton should erase anyone\u2019s doubts. Trump wants FISA to stay expired.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In his Wednesday social media post, Trump said Republicans were moving so quickly with Clayton\u2019s nomination that \u201cPulte would be gone before the Dumocrats would vote on FISA.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap\" style=\"min-height:5px;\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" style=\"display:none;\">Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-26\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-5\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But also hindering efforts to pass a congressional reauthorization of the spy program is Trump\u2019s demand that any extension of Section 702 include the voter ID legislation known as the SAVE America Act, with the president saying he would not support any deal that does not attach the legislation.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4613474\/trump-sends-senate-gop-reeling-john-thune-intel-chief-chaos\/\"><strong>TRUMP SENDS SENATE GOP REELING WITH INTELLIGENCE CHIEF CHAOS<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Schumer accused Trump of throwing \u201canother grenade into the negotiations\u201d by tying a deal to extend the spy tool to the passage of the SAVE America Act.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cHe knows deliberately that that will make sure that FISA remains in lapse,\u201d Schumer said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Bill Pulte begins role as acting DNI amid bipartisan opposition<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4067,"featured_media":2615976,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP26153490863804_b686f2.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[67762,32327,80777,81426,50611],"class_list":["post-2615975","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-bill-pulte","tag-breaking-news","tag-dni-appointment","tag-fisa-surveillance","tag-national-security-2"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP26153490863804_b686f2.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2615975","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4067"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2615975"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2615975\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2615979,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2615975\/revisions\/2615979"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2615976"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2615975"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2615975"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2615975"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}