WASHINGTON, July 2, 2026 – U.S. President Donald Trump has announced that he has granted broad authority to Acting Director of National Intelligence Bill Pulte to declassify government records during his temporary tenure, including documents that may relate to the 2020 U.S. presidential election.
Speaking to reporters before departing Joint Base Andrews for an event in North Dakota, President Trump said Pulte has been empowered to release classified materials at his discretion while serving in the role.
“Bill’s there for maybe a month or two months or something. But while he’s there, I said, ‘You can declassify whatever you want,'” President Trump stated.
When asked whether the authorization extended to records connected to the 2020 election, the President responded that Pulte had been given permission to proceed, adding that further details should be directed to the acting intelligence chief.
President Trump appointed Pulte to lead the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) on an acting basis last month. Shortly afterward, he nominated Jay Clayton as the permanent Director of National Intelligence. A Senate confirmation hearing for Clayton is expected later this month, according to administration officials.
The President’s remarks follow reports that a White House task force has been reviewing documents related to the 2020 election with the objective of determining which records could be declassified and released to the public.
A White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the administration remains committed to transparency.
“As the most transparent president in history, President Trump is totally committed to sharing as much information with the public as possible.”
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence, which oversees the nation’s 18 intelligence agencies, including the Central Intelligence Agency and the National Security Agency, has not publicly commented on the President’s announcement. Likewise, the office of Tom Cotton, Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, has not issued a response.
Pulte will continue serving simultaneously as Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency while overseeing the intelligence community until Clayton’s nomination is confirmed by the Senate.
The President’s comments come amid continued debate over election security and congressional consideration of the SAVE Act, legislation backed by the administration that would require stricter voter identification and proof-of-citizenship measures for federal elections. Supporters argue the bill is intended to strengthen election integrity, while opponents, including Democratic lawmakers and voting-rights advocates, contend it could create barriers to voter registration for eligible Americans.
The administration has not announced a timeline for any potential declassification of records, and it remains unclear which documents, if any, will ultimately be released.
