Trump picks social media philanthropist with Michigan ties to lead federal agency

Craig Mauger, The Detroit News on Jan 16, 2025

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Bill Pulte, a businessman with strong connections to Michigan and the self-described "inventor of Twitter philanthropy," has been chosen by Republican President-elect Donald Trump to serve as the next director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency.

In an announcement 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 firsthand," Trump said. "He believes in the incredible potential of our nation, and will help us restore the American dream for all."

The mission of the agency that Pulte has been tapped to lead is ensuring federal housing programs serve as a reliable source of liquidity and funding for the housing finance market, according to its website.

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

In 2013, PulteGroup, which had become a publicly traded company and one of the country's largest homebuilding businesses, announced it would move its headquarters from Bloomfield Hills to Georgia.

In recent years, Bill Pulte has clashed with PulteGroup's leadership. He's also made a name for himself as a philanthropist on social media, where he's given away money to individuals in need.

Bill Pulte has more than 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 cannot help themselves in their time of need," Bill Pulte wrote on X Wednesday.

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

In 2019, Bill Pulte told The Detroit News he had met Trump several times previously and Trump was familiar with his work on blight removal 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 contributed heavily to Republican causes in 2024, including the Republican National Committee and Trump's campaign.

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Staff Writers Breana Noble and Tony Paul contributed.

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