Trump doubles down on Pulte for intelligence post, calls for short-term extension of foreign surveillance law

Bill Pulte, Federal Housing Finance Agency director, speaks on CNBC, Jan. 8, 2026. CNBC President Donald Trump on Wednesday doubled down on his choice of Bill Pulte as acting director of national intelligence, despite bipartisan pushback on the pick that could result in the lapse this week of a foreign surveillance program with major national security implications. …