Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) questions Treasury Secretary Scott Bessant during a hearing of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs on February 5, 2026 in Washington, DC.
Nathan Posner | Anadolu | getty images
Republican Senator Thom Tillis on Wednesday described President Donald Trump’s decision to lead the US intelligence community as an “incendiary attack dog” and said there is no way he will be confirmed by the Senate.
The retired North Carolina senator’s comments on CNBC’s “Squawk Box” added to the growing backlash against Bill Pulte, the current head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, who Trump appointed Acting Director of National Intelligence on Tuesday.
Tillis said of Pulte, “I don’t think he has a prayer of passing it through the Senate and becoming the permanent DNI”.
But the senator acknowledged that the Trump administration may try to sidestep the issue by leaving Pulte with an “acting” title rather than pursuing full confirmation.
Pulte, who has no known prior experience in an intelligence role, is widely seen as a Trump loyalist who has targeted the president’s political enemies during his tenure leading the housing regulatory agency.
Those targets include Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook and New York Attorney General Letitia James, both of whom faced allegations of mortgage-related wrongdoing by Pulte.
Trump said Pulte would serve as acting DNI while continuing to serve as FHFA director and chair of the mortgage groups. fannie mae And Freddie Mac.
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