U.S. President Donald Trump announced on June 2 that he had appointed William Prout as acting Director of National Intelligence.
As soon as this news came out, it immediately sparked controversy within both parties in the United States. According to public reports and reports by American media, Pultt, who is 38 years old, comes from a powerful real estate family in the United States. He has no background in intelligence, defense, or national security matters. He firmly supports Trump, and he has a close relationship with Trumps eldest son. In the past, he used his position to eliminate those who stood in the way of Trump, which has made him a target among members of the U.S. government.
The American Wall Street Journal reported last year that Pultt initially managed to get into Trumps circle through his membership in The White House and his substantial donations. Due to his background and behavior, some people gave him the nickname Little Trump.
When announcing the appointment, Trump praised Pulten for her oversight of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, a government-owned mortgage company. He said she has extensive experience in managing the most sensitive matters in the United States, as well as maintaining the safety and stability of the market.
The Director of National Intelligence is a cabinet position. He or she is the head of the United States top intelligence agency. His or her role includes overseeing 18 intelligence agencies, as well as overseeing the preparation of daily briefings for the President. These briefings serve as a compilation of intelligence analyses that are used by senior policymakers. It is reported that Pult will continue to serve as the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, as well as the chairman of the boards of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, while serving as acting Director of National Intelligence.
Pult will replace Turcy Gabaad. Gabaad announced her resignation last month in order to take care of her husband, who suffers from cancer.
According to several American media reports, Gabbard was once a member of the Democratic Party. She has long opposed U.S. government military interventions abroad and disagreed with Trump on the Iran nuclear issue. She has been marginalized within the White Houses national security decision-making process. Trump has expressed dissatisfaction with her performance and is considering replacing her. Her resignation will take effect on June 30.
As the acting Director of National Intelligence, Pult can only hold this position for a maximum of 210 days, unless he is formally nominated and approved by the Senate.
Pultt comes from a well-known real estate family in the United States. He is also a private equity investor. Previously, he worked for the Putt Group, one of the three largest housing construction companies in the United States, founded by his grandfather. He is also friends with Donald Trumps eldest son, Donald Trump Jr.
The American newspaper The New York Times reported that Pultt actively used social media to attack Trumps political opponents, which made him a favorite of Trump.
The British Financial Times also noted that, before being appointed as the acting head of the National Intelligence Directorate, Pult had become a target of criticism for this government.
Reports indicate that Pultt was accused of using his position as head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency since March last year to submit criminal charges against mortgage fraud cases, in order to target those whom Trump considered enemies.
The targets of the attacks include California Democratic Senator Adam Schiff, New York State Democratic Attorney General Letitia James, former Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, and Federal Reserve Board Member Lisa Cook. So far, no charges have been successfully laid in any of these cases.
It is reported that although Pultt maintains close relationships with Trump, he sometimes conflicts with other members of the government, including Treasury Secretary Beasden. Last year, sources familiar with the matter told The Wall Street Journal that some government officials became increasingly concerned about Pultts unconventional and aggressive tactics. They believed that Pultt was acting beyond his authority, causing significant problems for the government.
According to US media reports, this appointment has increased concerns among Americans regarding Trumps tendency to prioritize loyalty over the appointment of officials. This has angered Democrats, and also confused some Republicans, as Pult has no known experience in intelligence work.
The Democratic member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Mark Warner, said, The President has chosen not a person who can make independent judgments and is respected as a national security professional, but instead an official who desires to use government power for political retaliation.
He said angrily, This is how intelligence is politicized. Unfavorable facts are concealed. The institutions responsible for protecting our democracy become tools for manipulating them. And thats how Americans are more vulnerable to terrorist attacks.
Hisham warned that Pultt has politicized and militarized housing institutions, and will do the same in the intelligence sector in the future.
Hisham criticized that this would make Americans more insecure. Screenshot of the tweet
Republicans also expressed caution regarding Porters appointment.
Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Tom Cotton, when asked about Purts appointment, said only, I have no comment on this matter.
White House spokesman Davis Insillat defended this appointment. He said, The President selects the best and most talented individuals to join the cabinet. It is because of this that this administration has achieved many record-breaking accomplishments for the American people. Bill Peltz is an ideal candidate; he will make outstanding contributions to the American people.
However, this defense may be difficult to convince anyone. Its worth noting that the Office of the Director of National Intelligence was established after the September 11 attacks.
Former senior director of the White House National Security Council, Jawad Ali, said that Trumps decision to appoint Pultt could further weaken the position of the Director of National Intelligence. He specifically noted, On the eve of the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, appointing someone who has no experience in national security or intelligence indicates that this administration believes the importance of the Director of National Intelligence may be less than in previous years.
