Warren Demands Mortgage Regulator Pulte's Resignation Over Abuse Allegations

Senator Elizabeth Warren formally requested the resignation of Bill Pulte from his leadership positions at the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) this week. The demand stems from a critical report, prepared by Democratic staff of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, which characterized Pulte as "unqualified" and detailed accusations of widespread abuses of power during his tenure.

In a statement released on Monday, Warren, a Democrat representing Massachusetts, asserted that Pulte has acted as "Donald Trump’s attack dog" at the FHFA over the past year, utilizing his authority to investigate perceived political adversaries of the President. She further expressed concern over Pulte's reported actions since taking the helm of the intelligence community, including alleged mass firings of counterintelligence officers. Warren stated that for the sake of national security, Pulte should immediately step down from both his acting Director of National Intelligence role and his position as Director of the FHFA.

The four-page report by the Senate Banking Committee Democrats outlines a series of allegations against Pulte, a Trump appointee. The committee's findings suggest that Pulte's record as the nation's top mortgage regulator demonstrates he is "unprofessional, unqualified, and unfit to serve as FHFA director—let alone as Acting DNI." The report specifically alleges that Pulte has "weaponized" his position at the FHFA.

An FHFA spokesperson provided a general defense of Pulte's performance in a statement to Realtor.com® on Wednesday, highlighting "successful turnarounds at Fannie, Freddie, and FHFA" that are "rigorously carrying out the law and statute and helping millions of Americans afford a home." However, the spokesperson did not address the specific allegations detailed in the Senate report.