President Donald Trump says Bill Pulte will serve only in an acting capacity as Director of National Intelligence and will not be appointed permanently. Multiple outlets report Trump made the remarks to reporters at the White House after his selection drew criticism in Congress and broader pushback over Pulte’s lack of national security or intelligence experience. Several reports note that Congress previously required the DNI role to have national security experience, raising questions about the appointment. Trump nonetheless said Pulte has the qualifications because he is “smart,” according to CBS News. NBC News and Bloomberg also report that Trump characterized the appointment as limited in duration rather than a permanent change. CBS News adds that Trump effectively stands by the decision to name Pulte despite the reported revolt or opposition from lawmakers. The timing of when Pulte begins acting service is described by CBS News as about a week and a half after the announcement. Other coverage frames the controversy around the rationale for the appointment, including claims that it was intended to support Trump’s assertions about the 2020 election. Across sources, the consistent point is that Trump rules out a permanent installation while keeping Pulte in the interim role.