Trump ally Pulte under investigation by congressional watchdog
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Bill Pulte, director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency. Photo: Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post via Getty Images
The Government Accountability Office confirmed Thursday it opened an investigation into Federal Housing Finance Agency director Bill Pulte, amid complaints about his efforts to go after President Trump's opponents.
Why it matters: The GAO inquiry will raise the heat on Pulte, who is also reportedly caught up in a grand jury probe related to the various mortgage fraud investigations he has pursued this year.
What they're saying: A GAO spokesperson confirmed it had received a request to look into Pulte's conduct and accepted it, per standard procedure.
- "The first thing GAO does as any work begins is to determine the full scope of what we will cover and the methodology to be used. This can take a few months, and until that is done, we cannot provide any estimates on a completion date," the office said in a statement.
Context: The probe is in response to a Nov. 17 request from eight Senate Democrats, asking the GAO to look into how the FHFA conducts mortgage fraud investigations, and any changes Pulte had made to those procedures.
The FHFA had no comment.
Catch up quick: As the nation's top housing regulator, Pulte has used the role to accuse perceived Trump administration rivals of mortgage fraud, waste and other misconduct.
- Pulte has been a persistent critic of the Federal Reserve — often calling on chair Jerome Powell to resign as part of the administration's historic pressure on the central bank.
- He accused Fed governor Lisa Cook of mortgage fraud, leading Trump to fire a top central banker for the first time. A legal battle ensued; the Supreme Court will hear the case next year.
- Pulte lobbed similar accusations at New York Attorney General Letitia James and Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.)
Yes, but: Pulte's conduct hasn't always won him allies.
- He reportedly clashed with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who accused the housing official of "badmouthing him to Trump," Politico reported in September.
- He also came under fire after convincing Trump to pitch the idea of a 50-year mortgage, Politico and CBS News reported — a proposal that landed with a thud with the public.
- Pulte touted it as a way to improve housing affordability. Critics were quick to point out that it would simply lower monthly mortgage payments, while costing Americans more over the long term.
What to watch: It's not clear how long the GAO probe will take.
- The office's website described a multi-step process that can take months to even outline, and then has to go through various reviews.
Editor's note: This story has been updated with background on the GAO probe.
