WASHINGTON—President Biden plans to nominate Sandra Thompson to become the permanent director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, the White House said, tapping a career regulator to head the agency responsible for overseeing mortgage-finance giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
If confirmed by the Senate, Ms. Thompson would succeed Mark Calabria, a Trump-era official Mr. Biden replaced in June, for a five-year term. While Ms. Thompson’s selection is unlikely to generate much industry opposition, she might encounter pushback from a few Republican lawmakers opposed to her decision to ease restrictions on Fannie and Freddie’s business activities that were implemented in the final days of the Trump administration.
