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Acting DNI Bill Pulte arrives at office, requests plane and top clearance

newsJun 19, 2026332,306

Bill Pulte arrived at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence in Washington a day early on Thursday as acting director of national intelligence and demanded top level security clearance, a security detail, and access to a government plane. He requested the President’s Daily Brief to take home, asked for a roster of all ODNI employees so he could assess who to fire, and has signaled plans to cut hundreds of staff. Pulte previously led the Federal Housing Finance Agency, lacks prior intelligence experience, and his rapid personnel and access moves heighten concerns about politicizing the intelligence community ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

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@vidiot.bsky.social

Pulte shows up to his Acting DNI job a day early, surprising outgoing DNI. Wants to fire 100s. Also asks if he has TS clearance, for a security detail, for the PDB at his house, and -- repeatedly -- if he has access to a gov't plane so he can travel between his homes. www.cnn.com/2026/06/19/p...

83445d ago
Rachel P-M195

If you have to ask if you have TS clearance…you don’t have it.

Diedrich Bader122

He clearly has no idea wtf he’s doing but he’s going to immediately fire people

choo choo choose anger42

The Viziers all just want their little retinue and their little perks and their little kingdom. They all just want to be a little Trump, ruling like God over someone, something, anything. It’s one of the most pathetic things I’ve ever witnessed in my life.

indigopoodle.bsky.social33

These very un-serious people are going to get us killed.

Sundog Millionaire32

You have to earn the Kash package William.

Ian Miles Schlong28

Homes?! Someone should make sure this guy didn’t do any mortgage fraud

BorderCountess26

I feel like if you have to ask if you have Top Secret clearance, you don't.

DragonHawk195917

Any use of a government plane for personal business is required to be compensated. But only at a rate equivalent to flying coach. Which in no way equates to the actual cost to the government. Yes, I actually looked into it recently.

henry sholar16

hoping pulte's every move will be leaked and documented. this shitty little nazi will be held to account. the task now is to monkeywrench him as much as possible.

Deb ❌👑10

So all of this sucks. Along with the fact that he's absolutely and totally unqualified for the job, it's one that requires top secret clearance and he doesn't know if he has it? He shouldn't even be allowed in the building.

DB McWeeberton9

"a Trump loyalist with no intelligence experience" has more than one meaning here

Pyperkub8

Which of those 2 homes did he commit mortgage fraud with?

I’m the Bombardier8

"Pulte asked staff if he could bring the President’s Daily Brief to his house, raising alarm bells among intelligence officials, according to one of the sources. That briefing is a highly classified set of intelligence on key national security matters of the day."

Lester Diamond8

So his marching orders are to be such a nightmare that Senators fall over themselves to vote for Trump toadie Jay Clayton’s appointment. Got it.

nycgeo6

“CNN previously reported that before Pulte was announced to lead the US intelligence community, he did not have a security clearance granting him access to highly-classified information — meaning he lacked what has long been considered a basic prerequisite for the job.”

Nana Jopa6

To state the obvious; maybe when you’re taking on an incredibly important role like acting director of national Intelligence (at a time when Trump is distancing from every ally we have) you could maybe learn what the job is before you start dismantling the department and asking for perks.

NonViolet5

None of these people understand the difference between serving in the federal government and being a corporate executive with all kinds of expensive and undeserved perks.

jaycmartin35.bsky.social5

How Pulte imagines he acquires security clearance.

johnnyrocktail.bsky.social5

He's only 38? I thought he was closer to 60

Doug4

We are less secure with this clown as dni.

dan411.bsky.social3

Another grifter in leadership position? Who'd a thunk it?

Mark Ramos 🏳️‍🌈3

These motherfuckers have no desire (nor capability) to serve, only to grift. Also, the rules and protocols are not for them, and the oath is just a poem. I say put ‘em all in a rocket and fire it into the fucking sun.

aandt.bsky.social3

Typical Trump pick- selfish, greedy and unqualified.

Kat💙3

Nice to know these people are acting like posh executives with their corporate privileges with our tax dollars.

Steve Schmidt3

I am afraid that this guy is just another in a long line of dickheads that this administration has brought into government.

Bellamy J. Heap3

Laser focused on the most important security issues the US is facing today on Day -1 I see. China and Russia must be quaking in their boots right now.

Snarky McSnarkerson3

We need to start treating traitors as traitors. Make an example out of them.

fenraven3

Maybe he should consider the government just rehired thousands of former employees before firing anyone. It cost the taxpayers MILLIONS, and we're sick and tired of seeing our money being wasted.

Rob Honeycutt3

Dude, pay for your own trips between your homes. No reason taxpayers should bear that burden.

Drunken Hausfrau3

Fired intelligence people: please leak info to help us take down this criminal regime!

jim-in-co.bsky.social3

Typical of Trump's choices. Only interested in how the job benefits them, not the importance or gravity of tasks at hand. Total opposite of rank-and-file government employees.

AwntieWithaW2

I’m so tired of these assholes

billbre.bsky.social2

It take years to train and season any person who is in national intelligence. So firing hundreds will hurt our already weak DNI.

Paul Snead2

This is seriously bad news. This guy should be nowhere near our nation intelligence network.

Mike Hutchinson2

Physically incapable of sticking to a plan lol

Craig M.2

Guessing that his biggest fan is named Vlad.

Annette & Vizsla Tucker2

What can my government do for me?

Adam CA2

More incompetence breaking our norms.

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