Politics

Trump Tells Acting DNI Director Pulte to 'Declassify Almost Everything'

Is this restoring accountability to national security or dangerously politicizing the intelligence community?

Published JUL 1

Trump Tells Acting DNI Director Pulte to 'Declassify Almost Everything'

Story

Above: Bill Pulte is sworn in during a Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee confirmation hearing in Washington, DC, on Feb. 27. Image credit: Al Drago/Bloomberg/Getty Images

The Facts

President Donald Trump told reporters on Wednesday that acting Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Bill Pulte is authorized to "declassify almost everything" while serving in the role temporarily, until nominee Jay Clayton completes his confirmation process.
CNN
Politico
The Washington Examiner
Trump said Pulte would serve as acting DNI for "a month or two months or something," adding that Clayton's confirmation hearing is scheduled in two weeks. Clayton previously served as chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Just The News
Politico
The Hill
Pulte, who leads the Federal Housing Finance Agency, assumed the acting DNI role following Tulsi Gabbard's departure. On his first day, he laid off staffers at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
Just The News
The Hill
Trump's remarks followed an NBC News report that a White House task force plans to declassify intelligence documents related to past elections. Trump had previously canceled Clayton's Senate confirmation hearing to pressure lawmakers on surveillance and election laws.
Anadolu Agency
CNN
The Washington Examiner
Lawmakers from both parties have raised concerns about Pulte's lack of national security experience and security clearances. Democrats have also stalled reauthorization of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act while Pulte remains in the post.
The Hill
Politico
Pulte previously made criminal referrals to the Justice Department against individuals described as Trump's political opponents over alleged mortgage fraud while heading the Federal Housing Finance Agency.
Mezha
Just The News

Sources Split

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The Spin

Anti-Trump narrative

Bill Pulte has no intelligence background and a documented record of using institutional power against Donald Trump's perceived enemies. Republicans and Democrats both refused to renew Section 702 while he holds the chair. Trump just handed him a blank declassification mandate aimed at 2020 election documents, and politicizing the intelligence community makes all Americans less safe.

Nextgov.com

Shai Akabas

Pro-Trump narrative

Handing a temporary DNI a blank declassification check isn't the scandal. The classification system has spent decades making itself unaccountable to elected officials, burying documents that 92% of mandatory reviewers find didn't need protecting in the first place. Pulte is in the chair for sixty days. Trump is using that window to restore accountability to national security.

The Center for Renewing America