Quote · The Prof G Pod with Scott Galloway
What Comes After the Iran War? — with Rep. Jim Himes
Where this was said
The Hollowing Out of the Intelligence Community: Bill Pulte and Fealty Over Competence
At 35:03 · chapter starts 34:45
Galloway asks Himes, as ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, whether fealty has supplanted competence in the intelligence community. Himes starts with Pulte: zero national security experience, a track record of using the FHFA to dig up dirt on Adam Schiff, Letitia James, and Lisa Cook, and a Twitter feed that reads like North Korean state media. [1] — Jim Himes "Pulte has zero national security experience. While running the Federal Housing Finance Agency, he spent his time digging into the mortgage …" 34:58 Himes calls this worse than picking a random person off a Cleveland street, because Pulte is actively dedicated to serving Trump's political agenda. But he adds important nuance: CIA Director John Ratcliffe, who Himes knows personally, sits in a different category — capable if politically constrained. And the vast majority of career intelligence professionals at NSA, DIA, and CIA remain studiously nonpolitical mathematicians, linguists, and analysts who could earn far more in the private sector but stay because of mission. Himes' bottom line: if Pulte ordered the CIA to surveil Adam Schiff, he'd see mass resignations rather than compliance.
Himes called Bill Pulte's appointment as acting Director of National Intelligence probably the worst he has ever seen, citing Pulte's zero national security experience.
Pulte has zero national security experience. While running the Federal Housing Finance Agency, he spent his time digging into the mortgage records of political opponents like Adam Schiff and Letitia James. Himes warns he's worse than a random person off the street because he's dedicated to serving Trump's political agenda.
Himes rejects the word 'centrist' — it's not about splitting the difference between extremes. It's about understanding that you cannot govern without a majority. Democrats can tolerate pro-life members, socialists, and wide policy disagreements as long as candidates don't say things in Brooklyn basements that lose races in Arizona three milliseconds later.
