President-elect Donald Trump has selected private equity CEO and philanthropist Bill Pulte to lead the Federal Housing Finance Agency.
If confirmed, Pulte would become the country’s top housing regulator. FHFA oversees Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the government-controlled mortgage giants standing behind roughly half of the U.S. residential mortgage market.
Pulte founded Pulte Capital Partners LLC, which focuses on housing products, in 2011 and garnered attention in recent years for promoting his giveaways of money and other goods on social media. He is a grandson of real estate magnate William Pulte.
The Trump administration is expected to pursue a plan to release Fannie and Freddie from government control — a complex maneuver that could have major repercussions for the mortgage market.