Himes: Trump’s Pick of Bill Pulte as Acting DNI Is “Worst and Most Dangerous,” Could Jeopardize Section 702

Washington — Rep. Jim Himes (D-Conn.), the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, sharply criticized President Trump’s selection of Bill Pulte to serve as acting director of national intelligence, calling the appointment the "worst and most dangerous" among the administration’s recent picks.

Pulte, who previously led the Federal Housing Finance Agency, has drawn bipartisan concern because critics say he lacks national security experience. The nomination comes as Congress faces a looming deadline: Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act — a key authority used for certain foreign intelligence collection — is set to expire this Friday.

Timing and Political Fallout

Himes argued the timing of the nomination imperils efforts to reauthorize Section 702 and could erode support among Democrats who previously backed a longer renewal. "He doesn't have an iota of national security experience and the president is putting him in this most sensitive of roles," Himes said on Face the Nation. "In the basket of awful appointments he has made, this is probably the worst and most dangerous."

"He doesn't like to back down, but he's also not going to like the terrorist attacks that might happen if there is no 702 collection authority," Himes added.

National security officials have long argued Section 702 is vital for disrupting terrorist plots, countering foreign espionage, tracking international drug trafficking and preventing significant cyber intrusions. Himes warned that the Pulte nomination could make it politically impossible to pass a reauthorization tied to his appointment.

Legislative Background

In April, the House passed a three-year extension of Section 702 with 42 Democrats voting in favor, but the measure stalled in the Senate after lawmakers attached an unrelated provision that would have limited the Federal Reserve’s ability to create a central bank digital currency. Last week the Senate blocked another short-term extension amid broader concerns about warrantless surveillance of Americans.

Calls For Contingency Planning

Republican Sens. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) urged the administration in a letter — obtained by CBS News — to plan for a "potential significant gap in foreign intelligence collection" if Section 702 lapses. The letter asked officials to identify intelligence targets that could be affected, determine lawful alternative collection methods and, if necessary, consider executive action to mitigate any gap.

Himes said the best course would be for the president to withdraw the nomination and select a candidate with demonstrable national security credentials who could help restore bipartisan confidence in the intelligence community. "The only right answer...is that the president says, 'Oops, that was a mistake,' and pulls the Bill Pulte appointment in favor of somebody who will give not just Democrats, but everybody more confidence," he said.

With the deadline approaching, lawmakers and intelligence officials face a narrowing window to resolve the dispute between political considerations and what many describe as essential foreign intelligence capabilities.