Senators Thune and Cotton React to Pulte as Acting ODNI

June 2, 2026 | Sundance |

Thune defers to Senate Select Committee on IntelligenceChairman Tom Cotton, who, obviously, wants maximum control returned to the Central Intelligence Agency, and it is a little funny; visibly funny. Because in the background -much to the angst of the SSCI- people are starting to realize how this dysfunctional Intelligence Community apparatus actually works.

With Marco Rubio as National Security Advisor and Secretary of State, and John Ratcliffe as Director of the Central Intelligence agency, and Tulsi Gabbard as the Director of National Intelligence,the SSCI has started to lose control over their analyst-centric institutional control mechanisms.

What most Americans don’t yet fully grasp is how ridiculously stupid most of the Intelligence Community actually is.. For two decades, particularly when Team Obama was in charge, the IC qualification that mattered was political ideology. The IC became a massive network of analysts, who had no functional ability to interpret reality on the ground – regardless of where the intelligence was coming from.

As a consequence, the IC got almost everything wrong as they chased outcomes borne from the brain trust of leadership within the Senate, within the CIA, and within U.S. Dept of State. Instead of looking at things as they are, the IC always looked at things from the prism of how they wanted it to be. The analysis of the issue flowed from that perspective – regardless of the capability of the Govt institution to create that outcome.

Rubio, Ratcliffe and Gabbard started taking apart that nest of bureaucratic analytical thinking – and focusing on policy that doesn’t come from the Senate. When you take that approach, the Senate loses control.SSCI Chairman Tom Cotton is asked about Acting DNI Pulte and hilariously says: “I have no observations on the matter.” WATCH:

https://youtu.be/xk_tgJjmP5E

:54

https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2026/06/02/senators-tune-and-cotton-react-to-pulte-as-acting-odni/

Secretary of State Marco Rubio Testimony to Senate Foreign Relations Committee

June 2, 2026 | Sundance |

Secretary of State Marco Rubio delivers testimony to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.The U.S. Senate as a whole and members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee specifically, have lost millions of dollars wealth for themselves and their families as a result of Rubio eliminating USAID. As a consequence, while they cannot publicly showcase that specific motive for opposition,the committee as a whole is not happy about losing a substantial portion of their stakeholder interests.

The families of all the senate committee members exist inside the think tanks, NGOs, political orgs, PACs and lobbyist companies for various foreign governments. Just like Q-Anon advocate ¹Mike Flynn recently taking a job that pays him $100,000/month to lobby for the Republic of Srpska (aka ‘Serb Republic’, for advice, counsel and introductions), so too all the family members of the senate leverage their DC connections to foreign governments for personal gain.

Thus, Secretary of State Marco Rubio is now being questioned by the very Senators he has defunded. WATCH (prompted):

Secretary of State Marco Rubio Testifies at U.S. Senate

2:39:18

(https://www.youtu.be/-H50QxEApYg

¹Yes, Michael Flynn signed an agreement within the Trump administration not to lobby for foreign governments; but that was only a paper promise.

That’s one of the reasons why it is more than a little silly for people to mention Flynn’s name as a potential DNI nomination.

https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2026/06/02/secretary-of-state-marco-rubio-testimony-to-senate-foreign-relations-committee/

DNI Tulsi Gabbard’s Husband, Abraham Williams, Begins Surgical Treatment for Bone Cancer

June 2, 2026 | Sundance |

There are a blue-zillion important events and storylines happening today; however, John 15:17: “This is my command: Love each other.” A prioritization is needed.

DNI Tulsi Gabbard shares a moment of pause and thankfulness, as together with her husband Abraham Williams she arrives at the hospital to begin surgical treatment for his bone cancer.

“We are getting ready to head to the hospital for my husband’s surgery and just wanted to say thank you so much to all of who have shared messages, prayers and well wishes for Abraham. We are humbled and so grateful to be surrounded by aloha during this really tough time.” (source)

Heavenly Father, we have need for You today. Please provide Your healing power and grace upon Abraham Williams, the husband of Tulsi Gabbard.

Lord of mercy guide those who will now tend the affliction. We accept Your works through those You guide and love powerfully, completely and unconditionally. Our first, last and final healing is always found in You.

We come to You today with our prayers for both Abraham and Tulsi, and we know You hear our prayers just as You understand our faith. We ask for Your comforting embrace of Abraham, Tulsi and those they love.

Father of strength, lift the heart of Tulsi Gabbard and fill her with fortitude, courage and the sense of safety. God that holds the stars, we ask for Your healing and grace to cover Abraham; every affliction; every wound; every trepidation and consequence. Thank You for Your mighty power that works through all things.

We reach out to You knowing through every struggle Your glory is in command. We ask that You pull our prayers close and extend Your healing power. In Jesus’ name. ~Amen.

Tulsi Gabbard 🌺

@TulsiGabbard

We are getting ready to head to the hospital for my husband’s surgery and just wanted to say thank you so much to all of who have shared messages, prayers and well wishes for Abraham. We are humbled and so grateful to be surrounded by aloha during this really tough time. 🙏🏽

https://x.com/TulsiGabbard/status/2061788108727705658?s=20

https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2026/06/02/dni-tulsi-gabbards-husband-abraham-williams-begins-surgical-treatment-for-bone-cancer/

President Trump Announces Appointment of Bill Pulte as Acting Director of National Intelligence

June 2, 2026 | Sundance |

Many are perplexed;however, don’t overthink it.

President Trump has announced Federal Housing Finance AgencyDirector Bill Pulte as acting director of national intelligence, via a Truth Social post earlier today:

PRESIDENT TRUMP – “I am appointing the 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.William has deep experience managing the most sensitive matters in America, the safety and soundness of the Markets, and over 10 Trillion Dollars at Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac,a substantial increase from where it was just 12 months ago. During this period, he will remain Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, and Chairman of Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac. Congratulations to Director Pulte!” ~ President DONALD J. TRUMP

In the context of what has taken place in the past 16 months,from CTH perspective an ‘acting’ position in this specific role is essentially a placeholder position. Pulte placed as acting DNI, perhaps (my guess)in lieu of a permanent appointmentthat cannot yet be made due to other factors.

Deputy DNI Aaron Lucas remains in place. Within the construct of the DNI office,Lucas remaining as Deputy actually facilitates the installation of a placeholder that would otherwise not be possiblebecause legislative regulations and preferences on theDNI post are specifically designed to favor only nominations with background experience in military intelligence and/or long-term intelligence status. {See 50 U.S. Code § 3026}

When congress created the ODNI they outlined: “under ordinary circumstances, it is desirable” that either the director or the principal deputy director ofnational intelligence be an active-duty commissioned officerin the armed forces or have training or experience in military intelligence activities and requirements. {Go Deep}Also remember, President Trump (T1) was the first administration to elevate the DNI to a cabinet level position. Biden retained that status.

Bill Pulte is viewed as loyal, trustworthy and a solid team player.As a placeholder Pulte makes sense, and that explains retention of his current job in the Federal Housing Finance Agency while he fills the role of ‘acting DNI’. Given the legislative expectations behind the office,Pulte would seemingly have no path to permanent confirmationby the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.

Under the scenario (in my head) that seems to make the most sense, the White House would seem to favor current House Select Committee on Intelligence Chairman Rick Crawford to fill the DNI spot. However, with only a one seat margin in the Housepulling a republican member of the House to the cabinet is not plausible. In this scenario an acting appointment makes sense.

HPSCI Chairman Rick Crawford has worked closely with DNI Gabbard and seems like he:(a) wants the job, (b) would be qualified for the job; and more importantly (c) understands the job as executed by DNI Tulsi Gabbard. The last point is the most important.Crawford also fully appreciates how badly the IC was weaponized by political corruption, and he knows (generally) who the bad administrators were in the weaponization of the IC and what actions they took.

Having a DNI that accepts and admits all previous corruption is really important, and unfortunately there are not many names in/out of Washington DC who have any substantive concept of it.Very few; very, very, few people, can fathom just how badly the Intelligence Community has been compromised. What set Tulsi Gabbard apart from the rest was her keen awareness of reality. Crawford does seem to come closest to that frame of mind.

If Rick Crawford was viewed as the best candidate to replace Tulsi, then putting Pulte into position as a placeholder makes sense.

If Republicans lose the House in the midterms,Crawford moves to DNI(seats numbers become moot). If Republicanscan gain seats in the Midterms, Crawford can move to DNI. That type of scenario played out is my best guess for why Bill Pulte was announced.

Suspicious Cat remains, well, increasingly suspicious.

(https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2026/06/02/president-trump-announces-appointment-of-bill-pulte-as-acting-director-of-national-intelligence/