Where this was said
Bill Pulte: Trump's HVAC Man Takes Over the Intelligence Community
At 9:30 · chapter starts 6:55
The centerpiece of the episode's opening is the bombshell news that Donald Trump has made Bill Pulte, a businessman best known for running HVAC companies and promoting meme stocks, the acting Director of National Intelligence — the top spy overseeing all 18 US intelligence agencies. Tommy Vietor explains that Pulte's previous stint running the Federal Housing Finance Agency consisted largely of using mortgage data to manufacture criminal cases against Trump enemies like New York AG Letitia James. His appointment to the DNI, Tommy argues, is simply a transfer of that retribution operation to an infinitely more powerful platform: the NSA's global surveillance capabilities. Ben Rhodes adds that the fact Pulte will simultaneously continue running FHFA — managing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac while leading the intelligence community — is almost comic in its absurdity. The hosts play two clips of Pulte: one from a 2022 conference where another man is slapped in the face with a novelty dildo and presents Pulte with a statue reading 'Bill Pulte Fucks Only the Young,' and one from a podcast where Pulte waxes nostalgic about countertops versus HVAC. Ben notes he began his Washington career helping write the 9/11 Commission legislation that created the DNI — a role never imagined for someone with HVAC expertise. The hosts also flag that Roger Stone pushed for the appointment, and warn that Pulte's real mandate may include manufacturing foreign-interference conspiracy theories to justify overturning future elections. [1] — Tommy Vietor "Trump installed Bill Pulte — an HVAC entrepreneur and meme stock promoter — as acting Director of National Intelligence, overseeing 18 inte…" 06:55
Trump installed Bill Pulte — an HVAC entrepreneur and meme stock promoter — as acting Director of National Intelligence, overseeing 18 intelligence agencies with the full power of the NSA. There is no reason to do this other than giving a proven political weapon access to the most powerful surveillance apparatus in history to go after Trump's enemies.
Democrats have real leverage to fight Pulte's appointment: refuse to reauthorize Section 702 of FISA, which lets the government compel telecom and tech companies to hand over data without a warrant. Tommy argues this is the moment to draw a hard line before the entire intelligence apparatus is handed to a man whose only track record is manufacturing fake prosecutions.
Bill Pulte has zero national security or intelligence background yet was installed as acting Director of National Intelligence, overseeing 18 intelligence agencies.
