Trump Picks Private Equity Operator Bill Pulte to Head Fannie, Freddie Regulator
By Isabelle Durso January 16, 2025 4:42 pm
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President-elect Donald Trump has chosen his new director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), which regulates Fannie Mae (FNMA) and Freddie Mac (FMCC).
Trump is set to nominate Bill Pulte — the grandson of William Pulte, CEO and founder of homebuilder PulteGroup — for the role, according to Trump’s post on Truth Social Thursday.
Pulte, largely known as a social media philanthropist who runs a private equity firm, accepted the nomination in a post on X Thursday and thanked Trump for the appointment.
“He believes in the incredible power of our nation and will help us restore the American dream for all,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
In his new role, Pulte is expected to move Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, government-sponsored enterprises that support roughly half of the residential mortgages in the U.S., away from government control and toward the private sector, Reuters reported.
If Pulte is successful in removing Fannie and Freddie from government control, many real estate leaders worry it could have major consequences for the mortgage industry, Politico reported.
Those consequences could include the possibility of higher mortgage rates, which wouldn’t be welcome at a time when affordable housing is a big political issue, Barron’s reported.
Sandra Thompson, the current director of FHFA, announced earlier this month she would retire Jan. 19 — just one day before Trump’s inauguration.
A spokesperson for the FHFA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
In 2011, Pulte founded private equity firm Pulte Capital Partners, which invests in businesses that make building products and specializes in flexible transaction structures, according to its website.
Pulte’s nomination on Thursday came as Trump announced a slew of other choices for his incoming administration, while prior choices have been going through confirmation hearings.
Recent nominations include former New York Congressman Brandon Williams to head the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Reconnaissance Office’s Troy Meink to be Air Force secretary.
Isabelle Durso can be reached at idurso@commercialobserver.com.
