Trump picks Michigan-linked Twitter philanthropist to lead agency

Bill Pulte, a businessman with strong ties to Michigan who describes himself as “the inventor of Twitter philanthropy,” has been chosen by Republican President-elect Donald Trump to become the next director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency.

In a statement released Thursday, Trump, who officially takes office Monday, revealed his selection of Pulte for the position.

“Bill needs no formal introduction to the great citizens of our country, because they have seen, and many have experienced, his philanthropy,” Trump said. “He believes in our nation’s incredible potential and will help us restore the American dream for all.”

The mission of the agency that Pulte has been charged with leading is to ensure that federal housing programs are a reliable source of liquidity and financing for the housing finance market, according to its website.

Bill Pulte’s grandfather, William Pulte, founded the PulteGroup home construction company in 1950 in Detroit.

In 2013, PulteGroup, which had become a publicly traded company and one of the largest residential construction companies in the country, announced that it would move its headquarters from Bloomfield Hills to Georgia.

In recent years, Bill Pulte has clashed with PulteGroup management. He has also made a name for himself as a philanthropist on social media, where he distributes money to people in need.

Bill Pulte has over 3 million followers on X, formerly known as Twitter.

“The reason I created Twitter Philanthropy, which we now call X Philanthropy, is quite simple. We need to get money to those in need, who can’t help themselves by case of need,” Bill Pulte wrote on X on Wednesday.

Bill Pulte operates an investment company called Pulte Capital, according to LinkedIn. It has offices in Florida, Illinois and Michigan.

In 2019, Bill Pulte told the Detroit News that he had met with Trump several times before and that Trump was familiar with his work on eliminating the blight in metro Detroit.

Pulte Family Management, a for-profit entity of the William J. Pulte Trust, purchased The Inn at St. John’s in Plymouth in 2021. Trump stayed at the Inn at St. John’s after a campaign rally in Traverse City in October.

Campaign finance disclosures list Pulte at an address in Boca Raton, Florida. He has contributed extensively to Republican causes in 2024, including to the Republican National Committee and the Trump campaign.

In a statement, Mat Ishbia, CEO of Pontiac-based United Wholesale Mortgage, touted Trump’s selection of Pulte for the regulatory job.

“Having someone with industry experience who understands both housing and mortgages, and the challenges we face, is a win for the entire industry and for consumers across the country “, said Ishbia.

cmauger@detroitnews.com

Staff writers Breana Noble and Tony Paul contributed.