Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) Director Bill Pulte showed up for his new job as Acting Director of National Intelligence one day ahead of schedule, catching his new staff off-guard by his early appearance and his initial questions about the position.
According to CNN coverage based on input from two anonymous “sources familiar with the matter,” reports Pulte asked for a list of every employee in the office “so he could assess whether to fire them.” Pulte is allegedly seeking to cut hundreds of jobs from the agency.
Pulte’s arrival surprised the outgoing director, Tulsi Gabbard, who is stepping down from her job today. An earlier report claimed Pulte agitated for Gabbard to leave the agency earlier – she originally announced she would depart on June 30. Pulte unsuccessfully attempted to attend the office’s send-off ceremony for Gabbard, but he was able to meet with the agency’s lawyers and several staff members.
CNN reports Pulte had an earlier briefing at the agency this week where he inquired if he could bring the President’s Daily Brief to his house and if he had access to a government airplane. He also inquired about his security clearance level.
Pulte reportedly asked about the schedule he is expected to fulfill. In addition to this new interim position, he is maintaining his FHFA duties and his roles as chairman of both Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. It is unclear how he plans to divide his time between the multiple roles.
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