Donald Trump’s decision to appoint Bill Pulte as acting Director of National Intelligence has sparked concerns among legal experts and lawmakers about the potential politicization of U.S.intelligence agencies ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

According to former federal prosecutor Joyce Vance, the appointment places a figure without formal intelligence experience in charge of the nation’s spy apparatus, raising questions about how intelligence powers could be used in a politically sensitive period.

Vance warned that the Office of the Director of National Intelligence plays a key role in advising the president on foreign interference in elections.

She argued that, in the wrong hands, this authority could be misused to justify extreme actions such as seizing election materials or promoting narratives that could undermine electoral legitimacy.While she acknowledged these scenarios as speculative, she said they were not unprecedented in the context of post-2020 election discussions.

The appointment also grants oversight of surveillance authorities under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which allows monitoring of foreign targets and can incidentally collect communications involving Americans.Critics argue this expands the risk of political misuse, especially as FISA renewal is currently under congressional debate.

Pulte, who currently leads the Federal Housing Finance Agency, has reportedly been involved in controversial actions, including criminal referrals against political figures such as New York Attorney General Letitia James and Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook.

Senator Mark Warner also expressed concern, warning that intelligence leadership chosen for political loyalty rather than expertise could erode trust in national security institutions and distort the handling of election threats.The situation has intensified debate over the independence of intelligence agencies during an election cycle.