CBS journalist Ed O’Keefe challenged Dr. Mehmet Oz at a White House press briefing over why the administration has not answered questions about Bill Pulte’s qualifications for Acting Director of National Intelligence, pointing out that four hours had passed si
Four hours after President Donald Trump announced Bill Pulte would become Acting Director of National Intelligence, the press corps still hadn’t gotten the answers it was asking for—so CBS’s Ed O’Keefe made the delay the point.
At the Tuesday White House press briefing, O’Keefe pressed Dr. Mehmet Oz. who serves as the Administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). asking why the administration hadn’t addressed Pulte’s qualifications. Pulte is currently the head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency. and Trump’s plan would have him succeed Tulsi Gabbard.
O’Keefe said the clock mattered because the White House had already put forward a dramatic personnel decision, but the questions remained unanswered.
“It’s been four hours,” O’Keefe told Oz, referring to the time since the announcement. “And none of the press corps’ questions since have been answered.” He said the gap left reporters trying to understand what, exactly, the president was relying on for the role.
“You are a heart surgeon, or a heart doctor?” O’Keefe asked. “Would you recommend a patient go see someone who isn’t?”
Oz acknowledged the question’s premise but did not provide the qualification answer O’Keefe wanted. “You are asking the question with the premise that Bill Pulte is not qualified,” Oz said. “I don’t know anything about his situation, and I appreciate you’re wanting an answer. I’m not going to be the one giving it to you.”.
The pushback wasn’t isolated to one outlet. Fox News’s Jacqui Heinrich also pressed Oz on the national security angle, tying Pulte’s nomination to broader concerns about intelligence authorities and lawmakers’ questions on Capitol Hill.
Heinrich pointed to President Trump’s push to renew FISA. noting that Section 702 expires in ten days and pointing to the World Cup as a near-term deadline. She added that the threat environment has been heightened by the war in the Middle East. and said intelligence agencies have been describing people’s concerns about threats. From there, she linked those worries to what lawmakers on both sides of the political aisle were asking about Pulte.
“He’s been steeped in controversy,” Heinrich said, describing concerns raised by lawmakers. On the Democrat side. she said the questions center on whether Pulte could carry out the role fairly and avoid weaponizing intelligence. She also said lawmakers had raised concerns about Pulte’s ability to serve.
Heinrich then asked Oz a specific question about whether Pulte himself has a security clearance—something she said Susan Collins had asked about.
Oz’s response again avoided the substance of Pulte’s background. “Ma’am,” Oz said, “I don’t know anything more about Bill Pulte than you do.” He added, “I did not think that was one of the questions that would come up here. I hadn’t even heard the news when I walked out.”
Trump announced Pulte’s appointment via Truth Social on Tuesday. writing that he was appointing “Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency. and Chairman of Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac. William J. Pulte. to serve as Acting Director of National Intelligence.” Trump said Pulte would remain in those other roles during the period.
In the post. Trump cited what he described as Pulte’s “deep experience managing the most sensitive matters in America. ” including “the safety and soundness of the Markets. ” and what Trump said was “over 10 Trillion Dollars at Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac. ” describing the figure as an increase from where it was “just 12 months ago.” Trump ended the message by congratulating Pulte.
The controversy around Pulte—raised in the questions from the briefing—centers in part on the lack of a military or intelligence background. along with scandals tied to allegations of political weaponization of federal mortgage data and ties to cryptocurrency fraud. Those concerns remained unanswered in the exchange. as Oz pointed back to not having information and declined to provide a qualifications assessment.
By the time the briefing ended, the administration had issued a decision—made by the president and delivered through a Truth Social announcement—but did not offer the press the direct explanations it was asking for about who Pulte is and why he is prepared to lead national intelligence.
Bill Pulte Ed O'Keefe Dr. Mehmet Oz CMS Acting Director of National Intelligence Truth Social Tulsi Gabbard Federal Housing Finance Agency Fannie Mae Freddie Mac FISA Section 702 World Cup Susan Collins