Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

AverageOldGuy

(4,250 posts)
15. From "The Atlantic."
Tue Jun 2, 2026, 10:26 PM
Tuesday
https://www.theatlantic.com/national-security/2026/06/director-national-vengeance/687408/

President Trump’s critics would have you believe that William John Pulte, the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, is not qualified to serve as the director of national intelligence, the job that Trump gave him on an acting basis this morning. They correctly note that Pulte, the heir to a home-construction company, has no background in national security, and that this would seem to disqualify him from serving as the nation’s most senior intelligence official, on the grounds of not only common sense but also the law, which requires that the DNI have “extensive national security experience.”


But what if the naysayers are looking at things all wrong? The president has shown no sign that he wants a DNI who can coordinate the work of 18 intelligence agencies and harness the power of a multibillion-dollar global-espionage network to provide senior government leaders the best up-to-the-minute information about threats to U.S. national security. No, what Trump has made very clear is that he wants a DNI who will selectively declassify government documents that help fuel conspiracy theories, use the authorities of the state to enact political retribution against his enemies, and try to persuade Americans that Venezuela and maybe the Democratic Party are rigging elections by fiddling with voting machines.

Recommendations

9 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

we are being unilaterally disarmed... ret5hd Tuesday #1
The entire US is being dismantled piece by piece. Irish_Dem Tuesday #5
The destruction is the point. yellow dahlia Tuesday #9
Yes this is the real agenda. Irish_Dem Tuesday #12
Sound the alarm! We are indeed being disarmed! yellow dahlia Tuesday #7
the dni job under trump seems to be blaming the 2020 election on foreign enemies? rampartd Tuesday #2
None of it is accident. It is all intentional and purposeful. Irish_Dem Tuesday #3
We are NOT fooled. We ARE watching. AND we call it out! yellow dahlia Tuesday #8
Yes. Irish_Dem Tuesday #11
We are the eyes of truth. yellow dahlia Tuesday #14
GMTA. Irish_Dem Tuesday #17
Let's make Tom Clancy fiction again. Amaryllis Tuesday #21
When the president is a foreign asset, the last thing he wants is an effective and impartial Intelligence Whyisthisstillclose Tuesday #4
Word! yellow dahlia Tuesday #10
It's all by design SheltieLover Tuesday #6
They found their useful idiot. yellow dahlia Tuesday #13
Indeed SheltieLover Tuesday #20
This is very, very bad. orangecrush Tuesday #25
From "The Atlantic." AverageOldGuy Tuesday #15
The Atlantic said it best, as always. yellow dahlia Tuesday #16
Thank you. Amaryllis Tuesday #19
Excellent article TommyT139 Yesterday #31
No accident? moondust Tuesday #18
We are being liquidated piece by piece. James48 Tuesday #22
Indeed! yellow dahlia Tuesday #27
He is setting us up orangecrush Tuesday #23
Do they think we're all fooled? yellow dahlia Tuesday #26
Authoritarian regimes orangecrush Tuesday #30
2nd No Kings Day is June 14. Be there, be heard and seen. ShazamIam Tuesday #24
Actually I think it's the 4th No Kings Day oberle Tuesday #28
Ot will be the 4th No Kings Day. I have been to the other 3. wnylib Tuesday #29
Latest Discussions»General Discussion»What if Bill Pulte is not...»Reply #15