Trump’s Dangerous New Spy Boss

Summary

Podcast Summary: What A Day – “Trump’s Dangerous New Spy Boss”

Date: June 3, 2026
Host: Erin Ryan (in for Jane Coaston)
Guest: Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ, Senate Intelligence & Armed Services Committees)
Main Theme: President Trump’s appointment of Bill Pulte as acting Director of National Intelligence (DNI) raises concerns about qualifications, politicization of intelligence, and threats to national security.

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Episode Overview

This episode focuses on the controversial appointment of Bill Pulte, previously director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, as the acting Director of National Intelligence by President Trump. Erin Ryan interviews Senator Mark Kelly to dissect the risks of installing an unqualified, overtly loyal political ally in a critical national security position, especially amid ongoing global crises.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Bill Pulte’s Appointment as Acting DNI

• Announcement: President Trump named Bill Pulte as acting DNI after Tulsi Gabbard’s resignation.
• Lack of Experience: Pulte holds no military or intelligence experience—a break from the typical requirements for this crucial position.
• Dual Roles: Pulte is set to continue his previous job simultaneously, signaling a disregard for the importance and complexity of the DNI position.

Quote:

“I was shocked. I think like, you know, most Americans that understand this job … you should have some experience either in the military, in the intelligence community, and he has none of that.”
—Sen. Mark Kelly (01:46)

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2. Partisanship & Weaponization of Government

• Track Record: As FHFA Director, Pulte played a role in the indictments of outspoken Trump critics.
• Concerns Raised: Kelly highlights fears that Trump selected Pulte for his loyalty and willingness to use government power against political opponents.
• Personal Example: Sen. Kelly cites retaliation he faced from the Trump administration after public criticism.

Quote:

“He’s a guy that will do the president’s bidding and will use the tools he has in a government agency to go after political opponents of the president.”
—Sen. Mark Kelly (02:58)

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3. The Stakes: Oversight of National Intelligence

• DNI Responsibilities: Oversight of all 18 U.S. intelligence agencies, from the CIA to the NSA.
• Security Repercussions: The role is at “the nexus of every individual's safety” and directly affects military preparedness, anti-terrorism, and countering adversaries.
• Acting Status Loophole: Trump’s repeated use of “acting” appointees dodges Senate scrutiny and legal experience requirements.

Quote:

“This is an enormous responsibility … your job is to keep the American people safe … And you put a guy that has no experience in this role.”
—Sen. Mark Kelly (04:09)

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4. Congressional Recourse & Rule of Law

• Statutory Experience Requirement: The law calls for “extensive national security expertise” for DNI nominees (added by Sen. Susan Collins).
• Acting vs. Confirmed: Acting appointments exploit a loophole—standards for formally confirmed nominees are stricter.
• Possible Congressional Action: Kelly and colleagues are examining legislative remedies, possibly through budget reconciliation or amendments, to reassert qualification standards.

Quote:

“We’re looking at that right now … there’s a difference between being an acting person put in the role and being the nominee where you have to be confirmed … so we’re trying to sort this out.”
—Sen. Mark Kelly (08:21)

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5. Implications for National Security Amid War

• Military-Intelligence Coordination: In wartime, the DNI’s ability to direct timely, accurate intelligence to the military is even more critical.
• Insight from Kelly: Even those who differed ideologically with prior DNIs, like Tulsi Gabbard, didn’t question their experience—Pulte, in contrast, falls far short.

Quote:

“He does not [have relevant qualifications]. You’ve got to do an incredible amount of coordination, you know, every single day.”
—Sen. Mark Kelly (07:04)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “He’s not qualified for the job. I don’t think he’s going to be able to do the job.” (Sen. Mark Kelly, 05:52)
• Sen. Kelly details being personally targeted by Trump and “the Department of Defense trying to reduce me in rank” for speaking out. (02:58)
• Erin Ryan’s wry closer: “We will never appoint an unqualified goon to get revenge on our enemies. Qualified goons only. That’s the What a Day guarantee.” (09:13)

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Important Timestamps

• 01:31 Introduction of guest and reaction to Pulte appointment
• 02:58 Discussion on Pulte’s loyalties and weaponization of agencies
• 04:09 Explanation of DNI’s authority and the statutory requirements
• 05:52 Sen. Kelly expands on risks related to Pulte’s lack of qualifications
• 07:04 DNI’s interaction with military during war
• 08:21 Legal loopholes and what Congress might do to respond

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Tone & Style

• Erin Ryan’s approach mixes earnest, sharp reporting with dry humor (“qualified goons only”).
• Senator Mark Kelly remains measured, underscoring the gravity of the appointment, sharing personal experience, and focusing on legalities and norms.

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Additional Headlines (13:42–17:46)

International:

• Iran Negotiations: Reported breakdowns and confusion in U.S.–Iran–Israel ceasefire talks; Secretary of State Marco Rubio testifies in Senate defending administration policy (14:35).
• Russia-Ukraine: Massive Russian attacks on Ukraine kill 22 and injure 138; Ukrainian President Zelensky appeals for more Western aid (15:48).

Domestic & Quirky:

• Manholes in NYC: Viral videos of people entering NYC sewers; police suggest treasure-hunting or “training under Master Shredder.”

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Conclusion

This episode squarely critiques Trump’s norm-defying pick of Bill Pulte as acting DNI, dissecting the dangers of unqualified, politically-motivated appointments at the top of the intelligence community. Sen. Kelly urges the importance of expertise, adherence to statutory requirements, and non-partisanship in national security, especially in turbulent times. The episode closes with Erin’s signature blend of sincerity and biting satire, calling for listeners to stay informed and vigilant.

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For full news coverage and further episodes:
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Transcript

[Erin Ryan]

It's Wednesday, June 3rd. I'm Erin Ryan in for Jane Coston. And this is what a day. The show with no skin in the game when the Knicks Spurs NBA Finals matchup tips off tonight. But is enjoying the good natured Texas New York rivalry nonetheless. On today's show, Russia's attacks on Ukraine intensify. And Secretary of State Marco Rubio argues semantics with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He wasn't partying at a UFC fight in Miami while other members of the administration were in Pakistan for Iran negotiations. No, he was co located with the president so that he could immediately inform him about events occurring halfway around the world. In addition to having served as Secretary of State, national security advisor, acting U.S. archivist and acting head of the U.S. agency for International Development, Marco Rubio is also President Trump's human telephone. But before we get to those stories, today President Donald Trump announced that he's appointing Bill Pulte as acting Director of National Intelligence, the post recently vacated by Tulsi Gabbard after she either left willingly or was forced out by the Trump administration. Pulte is another Trump henchman type whose only qualification for the position seems to be an ability to do just about anything Trump wants him to do. This has raised some red flags among people in the know, including today's guest, Arizona Democratic Senator Mark Kelly, who serves as a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee and Senate Arn Services Committee. Senator Kelly, welcome back to what a Day.

[Senator Mark Kelly]

Good to be here. Thank you.

[Erin Ryan]

All right. On Tuesday, President Trump announced he's appointing the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, Bill Pulte, as acting Director of National Intelligence following Tulsi Gabbard's resignation. Now, what was your reaction when you heard the news?

[Senator Mark Kelly]

Well, I was, I knew a little bit about him and I was shocked. I think like, you know, most Americans that understand this job and the requirement that first of all, you should have some experience either in the military, in the intelligence community, and he has none of that. And this is a big job. This is managing all the intelligence that goes to the president, but also the 18 intelligence agencies. Think about that for a second. Eighteen agencies. And when the president announced this, they also said he was going to stay in his other job. I mean, this is not prioritizing the safety of Americans and the national security of our country. So it's a problem. And the president should wake up and realize he made a big mistake here and find somebody who's actually qualified for the position.

[Erin Ryan]

When he was at the Federal Housing Finance Agency, Pulte was instrumental in the indictments of Trump foes, Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook and New York Attorney General Letitia James. What does it say to you that this is who President Trump wants in his top intelligence position?

[Senator Mark Kelly]

Yeah, maybe put him there for that reason, because he's loyal to the president and he's willing to weaponize the federal government against political opponents of the president. And that's wrong. We've seen it over and over again. I've experienced this myself, where I said something the President didn't like, and then he responded with, I should be hanged, executed, prosecuted, and then had the Department of Defense come after me after 25 years of service to this country to try to reduce me in rank because I said something that was truthful, which was in the law. So that's who Bill Pulte is. He's a guy that will do the president's bidding and will use the tools he has in a government agency to go after political opponents of the president. So maybe that's why he put him in this job as the Director of National Intelligence, because the DNI does have a lot of levers. He can pull a lot of tools at his disposal to go after the American people.

[Erin Ryan]

What are some of those levers and what are those tools look like?

[Senator Mark Kelly]

Well, when you're in charge of 18 intelligence agencies, I mean, you're. You're managing everything from the CIA to the National Security Agency to the Defense Intelligence Agency, the National Reconnaissance Office, National Geospatial Agency. I mean, it's just kind of endless. I mean, think about that for a second. 18 agencies. This is a enormous responsibility, and your job is to keep the American people safe, to prevent terrorists from attacking our nation, to make sure that our adversaries don't have the ability to come after us, to make sure that our military is as well prepared and has the information it needs that in case we wind up in a conflict with another nation or we are best prepared to be successful in that conflict. And you put a guy that has no experience at this in this role, when by statute, and it was written by Susan Collins, is my understanding, who sits on the Intelligence Committee with me, is that she added a requirement that you have to be an experienced person to have this role. Now, of course he's going to be acting. And I think that's often why this president puts people in as acting roles, especially when he realizes that they're unqualified for the job.

[Erin Ryan]

As you mentioned, you've been a very public target of the Trump administration this term. As someone who's Seen firsthand how this administration goes after the president's enemies, combined with the fact that Pulte has no intelligence experience beyond what you've already enumerated, do you have any more concerns as he takes over the role?

[Senator Mark Kelly]

Well, yeah. I mean. I mean, that's it. That's the bottom line. He's not qualified for the job. I don't think he's going to be able to do the job. And, you know, the job is at the nexus of every individual's safety and the safety of their family. So you combine that with his willingness to use whatever power he had in his former role and weaponize that power against the opponents of this president, and you've got a recipe for a disastrous term. And by the way, probably his own personal experience in this job, it's not going to be good. I mean, how many minutes were we into this nomination for him to be the acting dni? And you have Republicans in the United States Senate coming out and being very vocal about how he is not qualified for this.

[Erin Ryan]

So we're in the middle of a war right now. You're a retired Navy captain and a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee and the Senate Armed Services Committee. How does the DNI interface with the military at a time like this?

[Senator Mark Kelly]

Well, when you have 18 intelligence agencies, there's a lot of movement of information around, and there's. You got to figure out where the resources go and what we need to be focused on. And, you know, that's the job of the Director of National Intelligence. And, you know, he's got his own organization. Whoever is in that job, whether it's Tulsi Gabbard or. And I, by the way, I didn't support Tulsi's nomination, but I never questioned her, you know, experience. You know, she had relevant qualifications. He. He does not. But you've got to do an incredible amount of coordination, you know, every single day. And this president also left him in his last job as well. I mean, what does that say? That says that Donald Trump doesn't, you know, highly consider the importance of this role? You know, I think it even indicates that he has little value in intelligence as something he needs to do his job.

[Erin Ryan]

Back in 2004, as you mentioned, when the DNI role was first established, Congress made it law that anyone nominated for the position, as you mentioned, needed to have extensive national security expertise. Is there anything legally Congress can do here to step in and make sure that those guidelines are actually enforced?

[Senator Mark Kelly]

Yeah, we're looking, looking at that right now. And, you know, we've got a budget reconciliation process, you know, coming up here where we'll have an amendment process. And, you know, this is one of the things that we, we can try to address in that process. There's a difference between being an acting person put in the role and being the nominee where you have to be confirmed before you go into the role. And this is brand new to us today, so we're trying to sort this out.

[Erin Ryan]

Mm. Is there anything else before we go that the American people should know about Bill Pulte?

[Senator Mark Kelly]

Well, I don't have all the background on him. I do know this. He didn't serve in the military. He hasn't served in any intelligence agency. He has no relevant experience to do this job.

[Erin Ryan]

Well, Senator Kelly, thank you so much for joining me.

[Senator Mark Kelly]

Thank you. Appreciate it.

[Erin Ryan]

That was my conversation with Arizona Democratic Senator Mark Kelly. We will never appoint an unqualified goon to get revenge on our enemies. Qualified goons only. That's the what a Day guarantee. So please make sure to subscribe, leave a five star review on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, watch us on YouTube and share with your friends. More to come after some ads

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[Erin Ryan]

Here's what else we're following today. Head of Lines

[Senator Mark Kelly]

so I was going to start this off by saying, Brett, that I'm a little puzzled as to what the actual strategy of negotiation is.

[Erin Ryan]

My sentiments exactly. Fox News host John Roberts in the latest Iran war, he said, she said Two semi official Iranian news agencies reported that Iran stopped communicating with mediators about extending a ceasefire with the US And Israel. The reports came as tensions flared in Israel's separate but related fight against Hezbollah, the Iranian backed militia in Lebanon. President Trump disputed the claim on Truth Social Tuesday, saying talks were continuing. Quote, where they lead, one never knows. But as I told Iran, it's time one way or another for you to make a deal. Meanwhile, on Capitol Hill, Marco Rubio gave his first public testimony since the Iran war started.

[Marco Rubio]

There is the prospect before us which could happen today, it could happen tomorrow, it could happen next week that for the first time, certainly in my memory, they have agreed to negotiate aspects of their nuclear program that just a month ago, just a year ago, they were refusing to even mention, much less enter into discussions about.

[Erin Ryan]

Naturally, Rubio defended the Trump administration's approach to Iran as well as other global hotspots. Lawmakers also grilled him about the status of U.S. foreign assistance to respond to diseases such as the Ebola outbreak centered in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Rubio insisted that the dismantlement of US Aid had not affected Washington's ability to assist with global humanitarian responses. Russia launched hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles against Ukraine in an attack that killed at least 22 civilians and wounded 138 others, Ukrainian authorities said on Tuesday. In response, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky appealed for more US And European civilization support, per the ap. He described the attack as, quote, an explicit statement by Russia, if Ukraine is not protected from ballistic missiles and other missile strikes, those strikes will continue.

[Senator Mark Kelly]

Why is it a crime to go into a manhole it's dangerous. It's the same as jaywalking or walking down the middle of a highway.

[Erin Ryan]

Add that to the list of questions I didn't think I'd ever need answered. That was an NBC News reporter talking to retired NYPD captain John Monahan about, wait for it, recent online videos that show people popping in and out of manholes across New York City. New New York City based Fear Unlocked. Now, why would anyone ever voluntarily enter a sewer? A senior law enforcement official told NBC News. So far, the best guess is that people are, quote, scouring the system for valuables that get into the sewage. Or maybe they've been training under Master Shredder. And that's the. Before we go starting June 8th, what a day. Episodes will be hitting YouTube and your podcast feeds early enough for your evening commute, but not so late in the day that the news ruins the whole night. If you enjoy this show, you know the news never stops. So this new publishing time brings you the freshest updates and analysis on the news. You need to know before you tuck into the night's argument about whether your main TV will be showing the NBA Finals or Love island usa. If you aren't already, make sure you subscribe to what a Day on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and follow Crooked Media on socials so you never miss an episode. That's all for today. If you like the show, make sure you subscribe. Leave a review only. Use AI for subtle muscle enhancements and not to turn your schlubby old man body into a Chippendales physique. And tell your friends to listen. And if you're into reading and not just about how a staffer for Michigan Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers tweeted out a photo of him with obviously fake muscles. And now other Michigan Senate candidates are dunking on him. Like me, what a Day is also a nightly newsletter. Check it out and [e-mail] subscribe I'm Erin Ryan, and when it comes to editing your photos, less is more.

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Mike what a Day is a production of Crooked Media. Our show is produced by Caitlin Plummer, Emily Foer, Erica Morrison, and Adrienne Hill. Our team includes Haley Jones, Greg Walters, Matt Berg, Joseph Dutra, Johanna Kays, and Desmond Taylor. Our music is by Kyle Murdoch and Jordan Kanter. We had help today from the Associated Press. Our production staff is proudly unionized with the Writers Guild of America East.

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