Housing finance guru Bill Pulte captured President Donald Trump‘s attention by referring the commander in chief’s political enemies to the Justice Department for criminal prosecution over allegations of mortgage fraud.

But Pulte, a frequent flyer on Air Force One, has used his political savvy and Trump’s favor to leverage an otherwise lackluster role as Federal Housing Finance Agency director and chairman of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac into a Cabinet-level position: acting director of national intelligence.