After Trump Announces Pulte Will Use Intelligence Post to Look into "Rigged Elections," Warren Calls on Trump to Immediately Rescind Appointment

"Allowing Pulte to serve in any capacity for any amount of time in the Office of the DNI will create grave national security risks for our nation."

Text of Letter (PDF)

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ranking Member of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, sent a letter to President Trump calling on him to immediately rescind Bill Pulte's appointment as acting Director of National Intelligence (DNI).

"Given Pulte's track record of reckless abuses of power in his current position as FHFA Director, Americans cannot trust him to protect our nation and refrain from misusing the sensitive information he will have access to as acting DNI. It appears that following pressure from Congress, you have announced that Pulte will not be named permanent DNI. But that is not enough," wrote Ranking Member Warren. "Our nation's national security demands that you immediately rescind Pulte's appointment to this position and replace him with a qualified leader.

"Just today, you implied Pulte may be looking into "rigged elections" in his acting capacity, raising serious concerns about your interest in weaponizing the Office of the DNI to promote election denial theories,"wrote Ranking Member Warren.

Ranking Member Warren detailed Pulte's deeply concerning actions at FHFA: "He has used the information and resources available to him to target, harass, and criticize your perceived political enemies. In fact, the Government Accountability Office (GAO)-a congressional watchdog-has launched an investigation into Pulte's potential abuse of power and use of sensitive financial information to manufacture accusations against political officials such as New York Attorney General Letitia James, sitting U.S. Senator Adam Schiff, and Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook."

"Beyond the risk that Pulte will misuse the information entrusted to him, his appointment is an affront to the thousands of professionals across the intelligence community who serve to keep this nation safe. Installing an individual with no relevant experience and a demonstrated record of partisanship at the head of that community signals that political loyalty is valued above competence and integrity," concluded Ranking Member Warren.

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