Trump Taps Bill Pulte as Acting DNI; Crypto Investors React

President Donald Trump named Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte acting director of national intelligence on Tuesday. Pulte, 38, will retain his FHFA role and his chairmanship responsibilities for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac while serving as acting DNI. The acting director post does not require Senate confirmation and will continue until a permanent director is nominated and confirmed.

At FHFA, Pulte issued a June 2025 directive instructing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to recognize cryptocurrency holdings in mortgage underwriting without requiring borrowers to liquidate those assets first. In March 2026 he expanded that guidance to allow cryptocurrency reserves to back mortgages, subject to custody rules that limit qualifying assets to tokens held on U.S.-regulated exchanges.

Federal financial disclosure forms list Pulte’s personal holdings in Bitcoin and Solana and equity in Marathon Digital Holdings. The filings also show spousal cryptocurrency exposure that could reach roughly $2 million.

Crypto investors and market participants reacted quickly to the appointment. Investor David Bailey posted, ‘A Bitcoiner was just picked for DNI role.’ Senator J.D. Vance endorsed the selection on social media, writing that Pulte recognizes the need for the intelligence community to respond to elected leadership.

Some lawmakers and analysts raised concerns about Pulte’s lack of intelligence and national security experience. Senator Mark Warner criticized the choice, writing that the White House appeared to select someone who would ‘provide the narrative it wants, not the intelligence we need.’ Democratic lawmakers and legal observers warned the appointment could politicize intelligence functions and noted that federal law typically favors leaders with national security backgrounds for the DNI role.

Officials and analysts also noted questions about whether Pulte’s housing and cryptocurrency policies will affect interagency work on cyber threats and financial stability risks tied to digital assets. The White House has not released details on how FHFA duties will be managed while Pulte serves as acting DNI.