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Dear Friend,
We're pleased to bring you our latest edition of our look at the political moments shaping our communities: what’s happening, why it matters, and what it means for us.
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What's Happening?
This week, President Trump appointed William Pulte as acting Director of National Intelligence (DNI), following Tulsi Gabbard’s resignation, which will take effect on June 30, a decision she made to care for her husband following his cancer diagnosis.
Currently the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), Pulte also serves as the self-appointed chairman for both Freddie Mac (the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation) and Fannie Mae (the Federal National Mortgage Association). The primary mandate of these organizations is to ensure housing remains affordable, a goal achieved by Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae through the acquisition and securitization of mortgages. In simpler terms, Pulte’s job is to regulate and oversee the mortgage market.
Despite his clear background in mortgages and housing, Pulte has been appointed to be the acting director, which oversees 18 agencies, including the FBI and CIA. The DNI, under federal law, must have extensive national security expertise and historically this has been the case, with most being well-informed on key security issues and a substantial background in intelligence.
If his name sounds familiar, it's because Pulte is the 38-yr-old grandson of the founder of PulteGroup, a residential home construction company. Pulte has no background or expertise in national security, intelligence, or law enforcement. He is expected to retain all three FHFA posts whilst also serving as DNI.
Policy Perspectives
Loyalty Over Expertise
So what expertise does the guy who’s currently in charge of making housing affordable (and failing!) in America have in intelligence? Absolutely none.
Pulte, however, is apt at politicizing his positions to benefit Trump and go after his perceived enemies. At FHFA, he convinced Trump to fire Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook to intimidate Fed Chair Jerome Powell into dropping the interest rates and persuading the Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA) (who led the first impeachment charges against Trump).
He’s also targeted New York Attorney General Letitia James, alleging she committed insurance fraud, following James’ lawsuit against Trump for committing over 200 instances of fraud over a decade. All these allegations were unproven and did not lead to a conviction.
With this in mind, Trump’s temporary appointment starts to make a lot more sense. The DNI is a significant position, a direct advisory role to the president that gives its holder access to sensitive intelligence information. Its importance can’t be understated.
And like Pulte’s previous housing regulatory post, the DNI position is a great way to seek out political payback because with access to the nation’s most protected secrets, he can go after more people to exact revenge at the behest of Trump.
How is he allowed to be DNI?
Like most Cabinet positions, the DNI position requires Senate confirmation and Senate Republicans are already balking at the inexperienced Pulte. Even Senate Majority Leader Thune warned that “ we don’t need a weaponized [[link removed]] ” director, clearly recognizing what Trump’s up to. But under the Vacancies Act [[link removed]] , Trump can fill a vacant, Senate-confirmed position with an acting official for up to 210 days. That’s enough time for Pulte to wreck havoc for the President at our expense.
Americans are in the middle of a housing affordability crisis, something Trump repeatedly has told Americans he does not care about [[link removed]] . Piling more responsibilities onto Pulte, especially ones that require extensive expertise, is beyond asinine. But the decision makes sense: Trump loves to surround himself with sycophants just like Pulte who will not only do exactly as he says, but will retaliate and hit back at anyone who dares stand up to Trump’s authoritarian tendencies.
Because if there’s one thing Trump loves above all, it’s unconditional, blind loyalty.
ON OUR RADAR
Whose army is it, anyway?
The House Armed Services Committee’s version of the NDAA includes a controversial provision [[link removed]] titled “United States-Israel Defense Technology Cooperation Initiative,” requiring the US defense secretary to appoint a singular “executive agent” to coordinate military cooperation between the US and Israel and covers joint R&D, production of weapons, and links military data and systems. Similar to the countries cooperation on the production of Israel’s Iron Dome, this provision extends their work into more advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence and drone operations. This provision currently has bipartisan support.
House Passes a War Power Resolutions
Rebuking Trump’s abysmal foray into a war with Iran, members of the House voted to pass [[link removed]] a War Powers Resolution that would cease hostilities and end the war. Democrats have previously unsuccessfully attempted to pass resolutions in the Republican-led Senate. The House vote passed 215-208, with four Republicans joining Democrats and signaling a growing frustration within the president’s party over his mishandling of Iran. Democrats are hoping that this pushback may lead to more dissenting voices and ultimately, an opportunity to reign in Trump’s reckless violence.
The World Cup begins in 7 days on June 11 with 48 counties competing.
This update was specifically brought to you by the football-obsessed Policy and Research Manager.
Protect Our Rights, Support Our Work
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In solidarity,
Hanna Dasoo
Policy & Research Manager
Emgage Action
Policy & Perspectives | Issue 14 | May 2026
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