By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2026-06-18 15:09:25 | Updated at 2026-06-18 16:49:35
1 hour ago
Georgia Senator Jon Ossoff has warned of a purported increase in the likelihood of domestic terror attacks after a federal housing official with no intelligence background was tapped to oversee all the US's intelligence agencies by Donald Trump.
Ossoff, 39, called Bill Pulte's appointment to the post of acting director of national intelligence 'maybe the most chilling and the most dangerous nomination or appointment that [Trump] has made' on MS NOW Wednesday.
Trump derailed the nomination of US Attorney Jay Clayton hours before - leaving anchor Jen Psaki to claim that the president was allowing 'a Trump sycophant to remain in the job' and 'potentially, likely, weaponize the agency.
'Tell us more,' Psaki urged Ossoff, as the Democratic senator joined her remotely for that day's edition of The Briefing.
Ossoff began by calling Pulte 'a thug and a hack' and reminding viewers how it was Pulte's predecessor, Tulsi Gabbard, who was sent to Georgia in January to oversee a federal raid on an election facility in Fulton County hit with disproven claims of voter fraud.
'Now, [Trump] is putting Bill Pulte atop of the entire intelligence community,' Ossoff said.
Gorgia Senator Jon Ossoff, 39, claimed the appointment of a former federal housing regulator to the position of acting director of national intelligence on June 2 has left the US a sitting duck when it comes to terror attacks
Anchor Jen Psaki had asked why Donald Trump blocking the nomination of another official on Tuesday was likely an attempt to 'weaponize the agency'
He characterized Pulte, 38, as 'a partisan loyalist with no background whatsoever in intelligence or national security' and accused the president of 'putting the national security of the country at risk' by keeping Pulte in power.
'His handling of this is putting the United States at risk and making a terrorist attack more likely because he is destabilizing America's intelligence capabilities,' Ossoff warned.
Ossoff concluded the former director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency was 'a political hack who will abuse his authorities in the intelligence community.'
Ossoff is set to face off with Republican Congressman Mike Collins in November. Collins defeated former football coach Derek Dooley in a GOP primary runoff on Tuesday.
Collins received an endorsement from Trump, years after Georgia Governor Brian Kemp refused to peddle Trump's claim of fraud in Georgia's 2020 presidential election. Kemp endorsed Dooley during the primary.
Collins told supporters after his win Tuesday, 'Y’all know what the mission is.'
'It’s to put a Republican in that seat and get rid of that Jon Ossoff in November. Return this seat to the people of Georgia. And I look forward to helping and getting the help and working to do just that.'
Former director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency Bill Pulte was appointed by Trump on June 2. He previously brought mortgage fraud allegations against Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook. He also pushed for the indictment of New York Attorney General Letitia James
Ossoff reminded Psaki how Pulte's predecessor, Tulsi Gabbard, was dispatched to Georgia by the president in January to oversee a federal raid on an election facility in Fulton County. Trump accused Fulton County officials of engaging in fraud before his 2020 loss to Joe Biden
Pulte was announced as Gabbard's temporary successor by the president in a Truth Social post on June 2.
He previously brought mortgage fraud allegations against Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook. He also pushed for the indictment of New York Attorney General Letitia James.
He was also the one to pitch Trump the idea of 50-year mortgages, according to a November report from Politico.
