Overview
- The president told reporters Wednesday that he told acting Director of National Intelligence Bill Pulte he could “declassify whatever you want,” giving Pulte broad authority while he serves temporarily.
- A White House task force is reported to be collecting thousands of pages from the CIA, FBI, NSA, DOJ and ODNI with instructions to limit redactions to material tied largely to claims about the 2020 election.
- Pulte is a political ally with no prior intelligence experience who remains FHFA director, and his elevation has drawn bipartisan concern and slowed Senate action on Jay Clayton’s permanent nomination.
- Since taking the post Pulte has moved to return detailees and has been linked to proposed cuts that officials say could reduce staffing and disrupt interagency coordination and counterterrorism work.
- Lawmakers and former intelligence officials say aggressive declassification could reveal sources and methods, prompt legal and oversight fights in Congress, and further complicate reauthorization of key surveillance authorities.