President Donald Trump announced Thursday, June 11, that he is nominating Jay Clayton, the current U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York and a former chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, to be the next director of national intelligence.
Trump announced the pick on social media, praising Clayton as one of the most respected lawyers in the country. “Few people anywhere in the Legal Community are respected at the level of Jay,” Trump wrote. He urged the Senate to confirm him quickly.
The nomination comes after weeks of turmoil in the intelligence community. Tulsi Gabbard resigned last month as director of national intelligence to care for her husband, who was diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer.
Her departure created pressure on the White House to name a permanent replacement.
Trump Turns to Jay Clayton for Permanent Intelligence Leadership
Trump’s earlier choice of Bill Pulte, head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, as acting director drew sharp criticism from both parties. Lawmakers said Pulte lacked intelligence experience.
The move also stalled efforts in Congress to renew a key foreign surveillance program under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. Democrats refused to support the extension while Pulte remained in the role.
Clayton, 59, brings a long career in law, finance, and government. Born in Newport News, Virginia, and raised in Pennsylvania, he earned a bachelor’s degree in engineering from the University of Pennsylvania, graduating summa cum laude.
He later studied economics at the University of Cambridge as a Thouron Scholar and received his law degree from Penn Law, graduating cum laude and joining the Order of the Coif.
Clayton Built Reputation in Law, Finance, and Government
Before entering public service, Clayton spent most of his career at the elite law firm Sullivan & Cromwell in New York.
He became a partner and co-headed the corporate practice, advising major banks and companies on mergers, acquisitions, and public offerings.
He represented big names in finance, including work on initial public offerings such as Alibaba’s.
Trump first picked him to run the SEC in 2017. Clayton served as chairman from 2017 to 2020, during which he sought to protect retail investors while facing challenges including COVID-19 market turmoil, Brexit, and the growth of digital assets.
The agency brought more than 2,300 enforcement actions under his watch, recovering billions for harmed investors. He also served on key financial stability bodies, including the Financial Stability Oversight Council.
After leaving the SEC, Clayton returned briefly to private practice and served as non-executive chair at Apollo Global Management.
Also Read: Pulte Intel Pick: Trump Refuses to Back Down as Congress Mounts Rare Revolt Over Spy Powers
He has also taught as an adjunct professor at the University of Pennsylvania’s Carey Law School and Wharton School.
In April 2025, Trump appointed him as U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, one of the most powerful prosecutorial posts in the country.
Clayton has prioritized cases involving gun violence, drug trafficking, cyber crimes, securities fraud, and national security threats.
Clayton is viewed as a safe, experienced hand who knows a lot about financial markets and regulation, areas increasingly linked to national security issues such as cyber threats, economic espionage, and cryptocurrency-related crime.
Also Read: Trump Moves to Dismantle ODNI, as Former Aide Calls It a ‘Fake Agency’
He has a good reputation in legal and financial circles. He has avoided major scandals in previous government roles and has been praised for steady leadership.
If confirmed by the Senate, Clayton would join Trump’s Cabinet and take on a role that coordinates intelligence across agencies, briefs the president daily, and shapes national security policy.
The position requires Senate approval, and early signs suggest his nomination could move faster than the drama surrounding the acting director.
Since lawmakers on both sides have pushed for a qualified permanent pick to restore stability and move forward on surveillance reauthorization, Trump’s announcement appears aimed at easing that pressure.
His selection marks another example of Trump turning to familiar figures from his first term to fill key posts in the second.
Clayton has not yet commented publicly on the nomination.
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