President Trump announced Tuesday morning that he is appointing Bill Pulte to serve as acting director of national intelligence, replacing Tulsi Gabbard. Pulte, who previously led the Federal Housing Finance Agency, steps into the top intelligence role without a confirmation battle, at least for now. The move came as the White House signaled no public events on Trump's schedule Tuesday, leaving Dr. Mehmet Oz, administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, to handle the press briefing at 1 p.m.
Capitol Hill Hearings on Iran, IRS, and Border Security
Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche are set to testify before the House on Tuesday morning in budget hearings. Rubio, alongside Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, will also appear before the Senate in the afternoon. The secretary of state's testimony arrives as negotiations between the U.S. and Iran over ending the Middle East conflict remain unsettled, with no clear path forward.
Blanche is expected to face sharp questioning over the administration's settlement of an IRS lawsuit that created a $1.8 billion fund. Though the fund has been suspended, lawmakers remain skeptical about its future and what it means for tax enforcement. The controversy has drawn bipartisan scrutiny, with some Republicans calling it a "slush fund."
Mullin's plan to withdraw U.S. Customs and Border Protection personnel from international hubs will also likely generate significant debate. Critics argue the move could undermine border security cooperation abroad, while supporters see it as a necessary refocus on domestic enforcement.
Senate GOP Faces Reconciliation Hurdle
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) is confronting a difficult math problem: securing enough Republican votes to pass the budget reconciliation package. The path is unclear, especially after Trump dropped a $1.8 billion fund that had been a sticking point. GOP leaders see a possible way forward, but dissenters remain, as noted in our coverage of the reconciliation path after Trump abandoned the fund. Meanwhile, Senate Democrats are moving to block what they call Trump's "anti-weaponization" fund, even after the Justice Department abandoned it.
Primaries Underway in Six States
Voters in California, Iowa, New Jersey, and three other states are heading to the polls Tuesday for primary elections. The marquee race is the contest to succeed Governor Gavin Newsom in California, with a crowded field of Democrats and Republicans vying for the top spot. The Los Angeles mayoral race is also drawing intense interest, as the city grapples with homelessness and crime. Other down-ballot races to watch include key House primaries in Iowa and New Jersey that could shape the balance of power in Congress.
Trump's influence looms large over these contests, particularly as his revisionist narrative of January 6 has become GOP orthodoxy, with dissenters being purged from party ranks. The primaries will test whether that orthodoxy holds in swing districts.
For context on related developments, the administration's decision to scale back tariffs on select steel and aluminum derivatives has stirred debate among trade hawks. And on the economic front, Trump's finalization of a Medicaid work mandate threatens coverage for millions, a move that could become a major campaign issue.
