No, Bill Pulte Was Not Trump's Pick for Director of National Intelligence — That Was Tulsi Gabbard

The claim that Bill Pulte was Trump's pick — even a temporary one — for Director of National Intelligence is simply wrong. Every major news outlet that covered Trump's post-election appointments confirms the same person got that job: Tulsi Gabbard.

Trump announced Gabbard as his DNI nominee in November 2024, shortly after his election victory. NBC News, The New York Times, and Reuters all reported this at the time. She went through the Senate confirmation process and was confirmed in early 2025. There was no period in which Bill Pulte held or was tapped for that role.

So who is Bill Pulte, and where does he fit? He is a philanthropist and investor who became well known on social media. Trump did nominate him for a government position — but it was to lead the Federal Housing Finance Agency, the body that oversees mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. That is a significant role, but it has nothing to do with national intelligence.

The strongest version of this claim might rest on the idea that Trump floated multiple names before settling on Gabbard. There is no credible evidence of that either. Reporting from the time shows Gabbard was the pick from the start, not a fallback after someone else passed.

This kind of mix-up is worth watching for whenever a new administration makes a wave of rapid appointments. Names and titles blur together, especially on social media where posts drop context. If you see a claim about who holds what role, a quick search of the nominee's name plus the agency will usually clear it up in seconds.