Trump says he told Pulte to ‘declassify almost everything’ while at DNI

President Trump said Wednesday he told acting Director of National Intelligence Bill Pulte to “declassify almost everything” while he’s in the position.

“Bill is there just for a fairly short period of time. But while he’s there, I said you can declassify whatever you want,” Trump told reporters before heading to North Dakota.

“I think that Bill will declassify,” he said. “I told him you can declassify whatever you want.”

Pulte, the head of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, has been a controversial pick to serve in the intelligence role, both because of his lack of experience and his efforts in his housing role to go after perceived enemies of Trump.

Trump noted Pulte will only be in the role temporarily, and that former Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Jay Clayton will take over. Clayton was formally nominated by Trump for the role, though the president pulled him back from a confirmation hearing last month.

“We have Jay Clayton who is going in,” Trump said. “You know Bill Pulte is a very talented guy, but he’s just there temporarily until Jay Clayton.”

Trump said Clayton has a confirmation hearing in two weeks.

The comments come after an NBC News report Tuesday that said a White House task force plans to declassify documents from intelligence agencies that could amplify Trump’s claims over past elections.

Lawmakers across the aisle have raised concerns about Pulte’s lack of security clearances and national security experience, and about the prospect of his weaponizing the agency.

In his previous role as the head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, he made criminal referrals against several of Trump’s political enemies.

On his first day on the job last week, he made waves by laying off staffers at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

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