Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• Trump installed William Pulte as acting director of national intelligence — Trump installed loyalist William Pulte as acting director of national intelligence, overseeing the nation's eighteen intelligence agencies, despite bipartisan opposition. Pulte officially took office on Friday. Pulte has no experience in intelligence, which is a requirement for the position. Pulte is known for using federal government power to attack Trump's political opponents, including harassing Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook, New York attorney general Letitia James, and U.S. senator Adam Schiff by accusing them of mortgage fraud, and pushing the ouster of Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell by claiming he lied to Congress.
• Pulte ordered firing of approximately 300 National Counterterrorism Center staff — William Pulte, on his first day as acting DNI (arriving a day early on June 21), ordered staff to compile a list of approximately 300 people to be fired from the National Counterterrorism Center. This follows prior cuts under former DNI Tulsi Gabbard, who announced in August 2025 that she would cut 40 percent of the staff of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI).
• Trump installs loyalist as acting director of national intelligence — President Trump appointed William Pulte as acting director of national intelligence, a move criticized for politicizing the intelligence community and redirecting its focus from foreign threats to domestic political opponents. This appointment raises concerns about the integrity of national security operations.
• Trump installs William Pulte as acting director of national intelligence — Trump installed loyalist William Pulte as acting director of national intelligence over bipartisan objections. According to Senator Mark Warner, the highest-ranking Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, Pulte can claim a national security threat and use that authority to place troops or immigration agents at polling places or shut down elections, converting intelligence agencies from foreign-threat focus to domestic political targeting.

Supporting reports

• Trump announces accelerated departure date for Gabbard — Trump announced on June 9 via Truth Social that Gabbard would leave office on June 19 (instead of June 30) and that Pulte would assume the acting DNI role that same day. This 10-day acceleration triggered further bipartisan Senate opposition, with senators from both parties threatening not to reauthorize key surveillance powers (FISA) set to expire June 12.
• Trump announces Bill Pulte as acting director of national intelligence — President Trump announced his decision to install Bill Pulte, a presidential loyalist with no national security experience, as acting director of national intelligence effective June 19, 2026, while Pulte remains head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency. Trump stated Pulte would "execute the immediate and needed downsizing" of the office. The appointment prompted immediate bipartisan concern and Democratic lawmakers warned it would derail a bipartisan agreement to renew Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, set to expire June 13. Trump requested Congress pass a short-term extension of FISA.
• Trump insisted on Bill Pulte as acting director of national intelligence — Trump insisted on making loyalist Bill Pulte acting director of national intelligence for the period spanning the 2026 midterms, despite Pulte lacking the national security experience required by law. Pulte has a track record of weaponizing government to attack Trump's political opponents. Republicans requested Trump nominate a permanent DNI instead, but Trump doubled down on the Pulte appointment.

Supporting reports

• White House sent nomination of Todd Blanche to Senate for Attorney General — The White House issued a nomination announcement on June 8, 2026, sending Todd Blanche of Florida to the Senate for confirmation as Attorney General. The document is a single-line nomination notice published on the White House presidential actions page under the Nominations & Appointments category. No additional detail, rationale, or biographical information is provided in the published text.
• Trump nominates Bill Pulte as acting DNI, triggering FISA section 702 reauthorization crisis — President Trump announced that Bill Pulte, head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency with no intelligence background, will become acting director of national intelligence on June 19, 2026, while retaining his housing finance role. The appointment immediately collapsed a three-year bipartisan FISA renewal deal and blocked section 702 reauthorization—a post-9/11 surveillance authority set to expire June 12. Senate Democrats and seven Republicans opposed the bill; neither long-term nor short-term patches secured the 60 votes needed. Republican leaders now seek a credible permanent nominee to break the impasse, though the FISA court's existing year-long certification allows collection to continue if the statute lapses.
• Trump nominates Todd Blanche as attorney general — Donald Trump nominated his former personal lawyer Todd Blanche to serve permanently as attorney general on June 9, 2026. Blanche had been serving in an acting capacity since April after Trump fired Pam Bondi. Blanche, a federal prosecutor who represented Trump in multiple criminal cases, now faces Senate confirmation. Under Blanche's leadership, the DOJ has pursued controversial actions including indicting former FBI director James Comey and removing press releases about Capitol riot prosecutions.
• — President Trump officially nominated acting attorney general Todd Blanche to become attorney general of the United States. Blanche previously served as Trump's personal attorney, leading his criminal defense in the falsifying records case and the two cases brought by special counsel Jack Smith regarding the 2020 election overturn attempt and classified documents retention. As acting attorney general, Blanche has secured indictments against perceived Trump enemies, backed a $1.776 billion slush fund for January 6 convicts, and negotiated an agreement to drop pending claims against Trump and the Trump Organization while promising not to audit Trump's tax returns.