Timeline of Bill Pulte’s appointment as acting director of national intelligence

Bill Pulte. A top Senate Democrat called him ‘someone who will be willing to shape intelligence around the president’s wishes, regardless of the cost to the American people’. Photograph: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

Bill Pulte took the reins on Friday as the acting director of national intelligence, placing the staunch Trump loyalist in charge of America’s intelligence apparatus.

Pulte’s path to the job began with the resignation of Tulsi Gabbard last month, and Trump’s selection of Pulte for the interim job set off a firestorm in Washington as senators from both parties criticized Pulte’s almost total lack of experience for the job, as well as his practiced dedication to retaliating against Trump’s political rivals.