Tangent
Bessent allegedly told Pulte “I’m gonna punch you in your f—-ing face” at a private gathering in Washington last summer after Bessent allegedly heard Pulte was badmouthing him to the president, Politico reported, citing multiple unnamed sources, including one eyewitness.
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Crucial Quote
“He seems to be doing OK in the current role. I don’t believe he’s ever had a security clearance. He clearly has no experience in intelligence. He has no geopolitical experience, no international connections, the sorts of things you would look for,” Tillis said, adding that Pulte doesn’t have the 51 Senate votes he needs to be confirmed permanently for the role.
Key Background
Pulte has been a highly controversial figure in the Trump administration since he was appointed to lead the housing agency last year. He has referred New York Attorney General Letitia James, Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., Fulton Country District Attorney Fani Willis and Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook to the Justice Department for alleged mortgage fraud, but only James has been formally charged, and her case was dismissed by a judge. Pulte has also gone after Powell over the renovation of the Federal Reserve headquarters—a chief attack point for Republicans—and backed Trump’s push for Powell to lower interest rates. Multiple figures on both sides of the aisle promptly criticized his appointment on Tuesday, perhaps most notably Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., who told CNN, “we don’t need a weaponized DNI, we need professionals there.” Trump initially appointed Deputy Director of National Intelligence Aaron Lukas to replace Gabbard. It’s unclear why Trump then tapped Pulte instead.
What To Watch For
Senate Democrats are threatening to block the extension of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, set to expire June 12, if Trump doesn’t pull Pulte’s nomination, according to Punchbowl. Pulte would oversee the program, which allows the U.S. government to continue spying on people outside the U.S. without a warrant. Some Republicans are expected to oppose the extension, meaning it needs support from some Democrats to pass.
Further Reading
Trump’s Pulte Pick For Intelligence Chief Blasted Far And Wide—Top Senate Republican Says ‘We Need Professionals’ (Forbes)
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