Bill Pulte, recently appointed Director of the FHFA, on CNBC’s “Squawk Box” September 4, 2025. He gave an overview of where things stand with the mortgage fraud allegations that have surfaced over the last two years. Host Andrew Sorkin pressed Pulte for specifics on a tip he got about possible fraud related to Lisa Cook. Pulte wouldn’t disclose the name of the tipster.
Pulte’s unwillingness to provide any specifics was surprising as he made the rounds attempting to put out fires formed by his blatant misrepresentation of the facts. Sorkin argued that bringing the tipster out into the light would help shed clarity on the situation and allow Pulte to better defend his decisions. Pulte did not accept this idea, insisting he was autonomous enough to run the operation his way.
“I don’t need you to help me explain things, Andrew,” Pulte stated during the interview. His reaction boiled down to him wanting to be able to control the narrative around the allegations.
Pulte went on to explain his position in detail, addressing the call to disclose his information source. “It would be irresponsible for me to do that,” he said, showing a deep commitment to the confidentiality of his sources.
The FHFA is under increased pressure now than ever before to address fraud in the mortgage industry. This conversation can’t happen at a more important time. Pulte’s new role as director puts him in the driver’s seat to lead ongoing work to maintain integrity in our nation’s housing finance. His decision to withhold specific information has been met with both praise and concern from industry watchers and interested stakeholders.
Others have criticized Pulte for doing what he could to protect the tipster’s identity. Some argue that only transparency will allow public trust to be restored and rebuild confidence in our systems. Mortgage fraud still drives major alarm for regulators and consumers. They are doing all of this while figuring out an ever-changing housing market.