New intel chief is a partisan warrior who has the presidents ear, sources say

WASHINGTON — The partisan warrior named to serve as the country’s top intelligence official is part of a small circle of trusted allies who won President Donald Trump’s confidence by taking swift action against prominent Democratic critics of the president, according to three people with knowledge of Trump’s decision.Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.Bill Pulte, the administration’s chief housing regulator who is due to take over as acting director of national intelligence by the end of the month, has the president’s ear, shares Trump’s sense of urgency and is a regular presence at the White House and at the president’s properties in Florida, the people told NBC News.

“Trump is always with Pulte and always saying we’re running out of time to get things done,” one of the people said.Pulte, who will retain his current role as head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, has no known work experience in intelligence, the military or in national security.Yet he will be overseeing some of the world’s most sophisticated and powerful intelligence agencies equipped with an array of surveillance tools and a global network of spies.Former intelligence officers who served under both Republican and Democratic administrations worry Pulte will have unfettered access to a trove of intelligence that could be used to target political opponents or justify possible federal oversight of elections, as Trump has called for previously.

They say that by choosing someone with no background in intelligence or national security, Trump has sent a message that he doesn’t value those who work at the spy agencies.The White House defended the president’s choice despite skepticism from both parties in Congress, who cited his lack of relevant experience and his partisan record.“The President chooses the best and most talented people to serve in his Cabinet,” said Davis Ingle, a White House spokesma...