Trump claims Pulte will investigate ‘rigged elections’ in temporary role | Trump administration
Donald Trump has suggested controversial ally Bill Pulte will investigate “rigged elections” while serving as the country’s top intelligence official, as the US president continues to make false claims about the vote.
But the president claimed Thursday that Pulte, whom Trump appointed as acting director of national intelligence earlier this week, would only fill the role temporarily.
Speaking to reporters, Trump said: “It’s not going to be permanent because, you know, I don’t think he wants to be permanent.”
Trump said Pulte’s “energy” and “high integrity” would be “very good,” and continued: “Again, it’s short-term, but it could be very effective for a short time.”
Pulte, currently director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, is a Trump loyalist and has no national intelligence experience. Her appointment as head of national intelligence follows the departure of Tulsi Gabbard.
“He’s a very smart guy and you can learn some things about rigged elections and stuff like that,” Trump said on Thursday.
Earlier in the day, in a post on social media at 12:48 p.m., the president claimed without evidence that Democrats had rigged the primary elections in California. He also claimed that the U.S. attorney’s office in Los Angeles was investigating. The U.S. attorney’s office said it had no comment.
Pulte’s selection for the acting intelligence role has drawn bipartisan criticism in recent days; John Thune, the Senate Republican majority leader, said “we don’t need a gun-toting director of national intelligence,” adding that Pulte “will have a long road ahead” if he is nominated for the job permanently. “We need professionals here,” Thune added.
Meanwhile, Republican senator Mitch McConnell indirectly expressed his disapproval of Pulte’s nomination, saying: “Anyone who fills this role, which requires such great public trust, must have the extensive national security experience required by law, and no candidate who fails to meet this requirement will win my vote.”
Virginia Sen. Mark Warner, the intelligence committee’s top Democrat, said: “Instead of choosing a respected national security professional capable of making independent decisions, the president has chosen an official who has demonstrated not only a willingness but a willingness to use the powers of the government to pursue political revenge.”
Pulte came into the national spotlight last year when it cited Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook; New York attorney general Letitia James; former California representative Eric Swalwell; and California senator Adam Schiff for mortgage fraud. It was claimed that the allegations were weak and the critics were politically motivated.
