Thune: White House weighing pick to replace Pulte as long-term DNI

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) says the White House is “weighing seriously” a long-term nominee to replace Bill Pulte as the Director of National Intelligence (DNI), a move that could resolve the Democratic blockade of enhanced intelligence surveillance authorities that are due to expire on Friday.

Thune said he has been in contact with the White House and suggested that President Trump could soon announce a long-term nominee to oversee the nation’s intelligence agencies.

“I have not talked to the president but I’ve been in contact with somebody over there who cares a lot about this,” Thune told reporters Tuesday.

“I think they’re weighing seriously a long-term pick,” he said.

Pulte, who is also the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), doesn’t have any significant national security or intelligence experience.

Several senior........

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