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Fired Watchdogs Were Probing How Trump Goon Got Enemies’ Records

Federal investigators looking at ethics complaints lose jobs.

A group of investigators, who were reportedly probing if a Donald Trump-appointed housing chief improperly got hold of sensitive mortgage data on key MAGA enemies, has been fired or removed.

Ethics and investigations watchdogs at Fannie Mae were looking into complaints that Bill Pulte and his team had violated internal rules by accessing data, including about New York Attorney General Letitia James, among others, The Wall Street Journal reports.

The Trump administration has brought mortgage fraud charges against James, who once sued the president for civil fraud. Trump appointed Pulte, 37, as head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) in March 2025.

Citing people familiar with the matter, the WSJ writes that investigators at Fannie Mae were trying to ascertain who exactly had directed employees to access documents on James and others, as well as whether Pulte had authority to do so and whether the appropriate procedures had been followed.

Pulte is the grandson of the founder of PulteGroup, a major home-building company. Before entering government, he ran a private investment firm, where he cultivated a public image as a staunch MAGA loyalist.

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Since taking office, Pulte has aggressively pursued alleged mortgage fraud cases and reshaped oversight of both Fannie Mae and its brother organization, the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, or Freddie Mac.

The latest controversy surrounding Pulte includes a widely reported episode at one of Trump’s golf clubs in Palm Beach, Florida, where he’s understood to have pitched a “50-mortgage” idea to the president. The plan aims to extend loan terms beyond the typical 30 years, in a move criticized by housing experts as financially risky and with the potential to leave borrowers with little equity for decades.

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Internal data-access complaints against Pulte have reportedly triggered significant upheaval at Fannie Mae.

The WSJ reports several ethics and compliance staff were removed, reassigned, or placed on leave, raising questions about timing and whether these moves were linked to their inquiries.

The administration has brought other cases against former FBI director James Comey and former National Security Adviser John Bolton, in what critics call a long-promised campaign of retribution against the Republican leader’s enemies.

The Daily Beast has reached out to the White House, the Federal Housing Finance Agency, and Frannie Mae for comment on this story.

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