Oz says he trusts Trump's judgment in appointing Pulte as acting director of national intelligence

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz said Tuesday that he trusts President Donald Trump's decision to appoint Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte as the acting director of national intelligence.

Trump announced the appointment earlier Tuesday and Pulte will replace Tulsi Gabbard in the post. Gabbard revealed last month that she would resign June 30 to support her husband in his battle with a rare form of bone cancer.

Oz told reporters during the White House press briefing that he knows Pulte socially and that he has "confidence" in Trump's decision because the president is a "quick study of people."

“I think Bill is a great guy. I know him socially,” Oz said. “I have not worked with him in his current job, but I do trust the president’s judgment. He is a very sharp and quick study of people, their emotional abilities, and their ability to persevere in the face of hardship, so I have confidence in his decision.” 

The comment comes after several Republican senators, including Texas Sen. John Cornyn and Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski, expressed concern over Pulte's apparent lack of experience in national security. 

Oz was also asked about Pulte's qualifications for the role, to which he replied that he does not "know anything about his situation," and that he had not heard the news of Pulte's appointment before he came out for the briefing.

The Trump official is now the latest to fill in for White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, who is out on maternity leave. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Vice President JD Vance have also filled in for Leavitt.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.