Timeline of Bill Pulte’s appointment as acting director of national intelligence

2 hours ago

Bill Pulte took nan reins connected Friday arsenic nan acting head of nationalist intelligence, placing nan staunch Trump loyalist successful complaint of America’s intelligence apparatus.

Pulte’s way to nan occupation began pinch nan resignation of Tulsi Gabbard past month, and Trump’s action of Pulte for nan interim occupation group disconnected a firestorm successful Washington arsenic senators from some parties criticized Pulte’s almost full deficiency of acquisition for nan job, arsenic good arsenic his practiced dedication to retaliating against Trump’s governmental rivals.

Amid nan pushback, Trump had to prosecute successful a bid of moves to guarantee that Pulte really had a chance to service successful nan interim role. This is really we sewage here.

The way to Bill Pulte becoming America’s apical spy

Tulsi Gabbard resigns

22 May 2026

After months of rumors that she had mislaid favour pinch Trump, Gabbard resigned from her station connected 22 May aft a turbulent 15 months successful nan job. Her clashes pinch Trump complete his Iran argumentation reportedly pushed her to nan margins of nan administration, and her unprecedented quality astatine an FBI ambush of a Georgia predetermination halfway alarmed voting advocates and galore members of Congress. In her resignation letter, Gabbard said her past time would beryllium 30 June.

Trump announces Pulte will beryllium nan caller DNI

2 June 2026

In a Truth Social post that stunned Washington, Trump announced that he was nominating Pulte to service arsenic acting head of nationalist intelligence. Acting heads of authorities agencies capable roles connected a temporary basis and do not require Senate confirmation.

It wasn’t clear whether Trump intended for Pulte to besides service arsenic nan imperishable director, but nan antagonistic guidance successful Washington was swift. “Elevating him to oversee nan intelligence organization makes clear that this president is not looking for an intelligence leader who will travel nan facts aliases speak truth to power, but alternatively personification who will beryllium consenting to style intelligence astir nan president’s wishes, sloppy of nan costs to nan American people,” said Senator Mark Warner, nan apical Democrat connected nan intelligence committee.

John Thune, nan Republican Senate mostly leader, told reporters that “we don’t request a weaponized” nationalist intelligence head and Pulte would person “a lengthy roadworthy up of him” if he were nominated to return nan station connected a imperishable basis.

Trump clarifies that Pulte won’t enactment successful nan job

4 June 2026

Speaking pinch reporters successful nan Oval Office, and arsenic anger successful nan Senate mounted, Trump clarified that he would not nominate Pulte to go nan imperishable head of nationalist intelligence.

“It’s an acting position. It’s not permanent,” Trump said. “I don’t deliberation he’d want to beryllium permanent.”

Trump announces Gabbard will beryllium leaving sooner than expected

9 June 2026

Trump announced connected Truth Social that “William Pulte, who is moving intimately pinch Tulsi Gabbard, will beryllium taking complete arsenic Acting Director of National Intelligence connected Friday, June 19th.” Shortening Gabbard’s tenure meant Pulte would return complete successful only 10 days.

The shortened timeline stirred up further guidance connected nan hill, pinch senators from some parties threatening not to reauthorize cardinal surveillance powers up of their expiration connected 12 June.

Trump nominates Jay Clayton arsenic imperishable DNI

11 June 2026

Trump announced that he was nominating Jay Clayton, nan US lawyer for nan confederate territory of New York, arsenic imperishable DNI director. “Few group anyplace successful nan Legal Community are respected astatine nan level of Jay,” he wrote. “I promote nan United States Senate to corroborate Jay arsenic soon arsenic possible.”

Though Clayton has nary acquisition successful immoderate of nan 18 agencies that would autumn nether his purview, location were quick signs that he had bipartisan support successful nan Senate, peculiarly erstwhile weighed against nan imaginable of Pulte.

The Senate intelligence committee instantly scheduled Clayton’s confirmation hearings for 17 June – an extraordinarily rushed schedule for a awesome furniture position. But it meant that a ballot connected his information could hap earlier 19 June, frankincense preventing Pulte from ever serving arsenic acting director.

Major surveillance rule expires

12 June 2026

Some Republicans successful Congress scrambled to walk a short-term, two-week hold of nan Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, but their efforts grounded and nan rule granting nan executive branch wide surveillance powers lapsed amid nan outrage complete Pulte perchance serving moreover temporarily arsenic head of nationalist intelligence.

Trump derails Clayton’s planned confirmation

17 June 2026

In an bonzer Truth Social post that Trump sent from France astatine 3.54am Washington time, only hours earlier nan planned confirmation hearing, nan president wrote that “Regarding nan support of our Great Patriot, Jay Clayton, we are cancelling nan Senate Hearing RE: DNI today.”

Trump cited respective factors – Democrats’ alleged gamesmanship complete nan surveillance rule extension, and his purported desire to person a caller US lawyer to switch Clayton earlier he near his station – but nan applicable effect was that, pinch only 2 days until Gabbard was to time off office, Pulte was destined to service arsenic America’s spy chief.

Pulte takes complete arsenic acting DNI