David DiMolfetta

@NextgovFCW cybersecurity + intelligence reporter. Tips: [email protected] Signal: @ djd.99 BSKY: @ddimolfetta.bsky.social

[David DiMolfetta @ddimolfetta]

Two years ago today I joined the @NextgovFCW team at GovExec. I'm proud of the terrific work we've produced for our readers, and I'm excited to keep it going. Thanks for sticking with me. As always, send tips and scoops to [email protected] or my Signal @ djd.99

[Alex Wickham @alexwickham]

NEW: MI5 and Five Eyes partner agencies have just issued what they say is an unprecedented joint warning about attempts by Chinese spies to use LinkedIn to recruit Western assets

[David DiMolfetta @ddimolfetta]

The Trump admin had its own list of picks, and DHS and the White House in recent weeks have likely been negotiating and vetting candidates to settle on a final choice, added the person.

[David DiMolfetta @ddimolfetta]

New: Mullin told lawmakers the Trump admin will soon nominate a CISA director. We previously reported Tom Parker was under consideration, but Mullin submitted a different name to the WH as of early May, per a person familiar.
https://t.co/ZkX2rCe44I

[David DiMolfetta @ddimolfetta]

Pulte appointment threatens fragile spy powers deal: Warner pressed Thune to urge the White House to reverse Bill Pulte’s acting DNI appointment, warning it could sink a deal to extend FISA Section 702, according to a person familiar with the matter:
https://t.co/HOljZ6ndhB

[David DiMolfetta @ddimolfetta]

👀

[Eric Geller @ericgeller]

Mullin: "We've got a person soon to be nominated that will be running CISA that has the ability to recruit and focus on the authorities we have. We want CISA to be the leader of cybersecurity. They should be and they will be."

[Jake Sherman @JakeSherman]

HUGE scoop from @AndrewDesiderio and @LauraEWeiss16

MARK WARNER has told JOHN THUNE to try to get @pulte removed as DNI.

If he's in the job, Democrats are threatening to withhold their votes for FISA, which expires in 9 days.

FISA is at real risk of expiring due to Trump's decision to put PULTE in as DNI.

Almost certain that JOHNSON cannot put the bill on suspension now. And can he get it out of rules?

https://t.co/UkGDVuWdvX

[David DiMolfetta @ddimolfetta]

@shashj Hilarious

[The Washington Post @washingtonpost]

Exclusive: A convicted Jan. 6 rioter who later said that he regretted his participation in the U.S. Capitol attack has been hired by the Trump administration to work inside a Pentagon office that manages highly classified military operations. https://t.co/3OtllgCSWP

[Thomas Novelly @TomNovelly]

When I was a reporter at the @postandcourier, I covered Elias Irizarry case. He was a cadet at the Citadel, and was kicked out of the senior military college’s Republican Society post-Jan. 6.

When I called him for comment, he gave the phone to his mom.
https://t.co/EhCYfJ62Tt

[Jake Sherman @JakeSherman]

Democrats were very skeptical of voting to extend FISA because they thought the intelligence community could weaponize wiretapping under Trump.

Extending FISA with @pulte as DNI will be very hard.

FISA deadline is June 12. 10 days from now.

[Anthony Adragna @AnthonyAdragna]

.@MarkWarner says Pulte's selection "sure as hell doesn't help" the ability to reach a long-term FISA agreement ahead of June 12 deadline.

"This kind of insulting move is basically a total insult to everybody in the intelligence community," he said.

[David DiMolfetta @ddimolfetta]

Trump signs AI executive order after postponement last month
https://t.co/IGRhXwUJAF

[David DiMolfetta @ddimolfetta]

Himes, top Dem on House Intel, reacting to acting DNI Pulte appointment: "His brief career in public service has shown only that he is willing to abuse his office to attack Donald Trump’s political enemies."

[David DiMolfetta @ddimolfetta]

“I would think at a time when we are facing exceptional conflict in the MidEast...we would want someone with deep experience in intelligence matters to serve as the acting director of the agency responsible for coordinating all of America’s spy agencies.”
https://t.co/kzD5GhjCiG

[Patrick Tucker @DefTechPat]

Meet the new Director of National Intelligence: “Pulte launched investigations into the president’s political foes, including Federal Reserve Board Governor Lisa Cook and New York Attorney General Letitia James. He has no [IC] experience” https://t.co/IRxcMSG6JU via @ddimolfetta

[David DiMolfetta @ddimolfetta]

POTUS has signed AI security EO, about 2 weeks after an earlier version's signing was postponed:
https://t.co/T006urb67E

[David DiMolfetta @ddimolfetta]

“I would think at a time when we are facing exceptional conflict in the MidEast...we would want someone with deep experience in intelligence matters to serve as the acting director of the agency responsible for coordinating all of America’s spy agencies.”
https://t.co/kzD5GhjCiG

[David DiMolfetta @ddimolfetta]

An interesting choice for sure. As POTUS notes, Pulte will still remain in his FHFA and Fannie Mae + Freddie Mac jobs while in this acting position.

[David DiMolfetta @ddimolfetta]

POTUS says he is appointing FHFA director Bill Pulte to serve as acting director of national intelligence. Pulte, who has a private equity background and doesn't have intelligence community experience, helped lead last year's mortgage fraud efforts: https://t.co/GQBFPUNVMH

[Catherine Belton @CatherineBelton]

Pressure is mounting on Vladimir Putin over how to end his war in Ukraine as Moscow’s battlefield offensive stalls, financial resources dwindle & more frequent Ukrainian drone strikes inside Russia exacerbate growing public dissatisfaction. https://t.co/LuRyWf16vK

[David DiMolfetta @ddimolfetta]

The NSA has internally named a trio of appointments focused on the spy agency’s cyber operations, two former officials tell me. Confirming @martinmatishak
https://t.co/Ok1MWq4T2l