Sen. James Lankford joins bipartisan lawmakers against DNI pick Bill Pulte
Sen. James Lankford (R-OK) on Sunday became the latest Republican to question President Donald Trump’s decision to install housing finance regulator Bill Pulte as acting director of national intelligence, adding to a growing bipartisan backlash opposing the president’s pick.
TL;DR
- Sen. James Lankford (R-OK) questioned Bill Pulte's qualifications for acting DNI, citing a lack of national security background.
- Lankford's comments add to a bipartisan backlash against President Trump's pick.
- Reps. Mike McCaul (R-TX) and Jim Hines (D-CT) also criticized Pulte's lack of national security experience.
- Concerns about Pulte's qualifications have surfaced among other GOP senators, including John Cornyn and John Thune.
- Democrats have expressed stronger opposition, fearing the politicization of intelligence operations.
- Pulte previously referred Trump's political opponents to the Justice Department while at the Federal Housing Finance Agency.
- The appointment's controversy has impacted the Senate's debate on reauthorizing Section 702 of FISA.