Trump names former SEC Chairman Jay Clayton as next U.S. Intelligence Director
U.S. President Donald Trump announced the nomination of Jay Clayton, the current U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York and former Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), to serve as the next Director of National Intelligence (DNI), Qazinform News Agency reports.
In a statement posted on Truth Social, Trump praised Clayton as a highly respected figure within the legal community and said he would also serve as a member of the president’s Cabinet if confirmed.
“I am pleased to announce the Nomination of very Highly Respected Jay Clayton,” Trump wrote, highlighting Clayton’s previous roles as SEC chairman and head of the law firm Sullivan & Cromwell.
Trump described Clayton as one of the most respected legal professionals in the United States and urged the Senate to act swiftly on the nomination.
“Few people anywhere in the Legal Community are respected at the level of Jay. I encourage the United States Senate to confirm Jay as soon as possible,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
If confirmed, Clayton would oversee the U.S. intelligence community as Director of National Intelligence, a position responsible for coordinating the activities of the nation’s intelligence agencies and serving as the principal intelligence adviser to the U.S. president.
Clayton previously chaired the SEC from 2017 to 2020 and later returned to legal practice before being appointed U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York.
Previously, Qazinform News Agency reported that U.S. President Donald Trump announced the appointment of William J. Pulte as Acting Director of National Intelligence.
