President Donald Trump on Thursday nominated Jay Clayton, the former chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), to serve as the next Director of National Intelligence (DNI).
In a Truth Social post, Trump wrote, “I am pleased to announce the Nomination of very Highly Respected Jay Clayton… to be the next Director of National Intelligence and, importantly, to serve in my Cabinet.”
The announcement came after intense criticism of Trump’s decision to install housing regulator Bill Pulte as acting intelligence chief following Tulsi Gabbard’s planned departure.
Trump described Clayton as one of the most respected lawyers in the country and urged the Senate to confirm him quickly. Clayton’s nomination will require Senate approval. “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.
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Who is Jay Clayton?
Clayton, 59, currently serves as the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, one of the country’s most influential federal prosecutor offices. Before that, he chaired the SEC during Trump’s first term from 2017 to 2020.
A lawyer by training, Clayton spent more than two decades at the prestigious law firm Sullivan & Cromwell. He advised major corporations on mergers, acquisitions, securities regulation and corporate governance matters. He later returned to private practice before joining the Justice Department.
Clayton studied engineering, economics and law. He earned degrees from the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Cambridge. He also taught law at the University of Pennsylvania for several years.
Clayton was nominated as the SEC chair by Trump in January 2017 and was sworn in May of that year. Alongside the role of SEC Chairman, he was a member of the President’s Working Group on Financial Markets, the Financial Stability Oversight Council, and the Financial Stability Board.
During his SEC tenure, Clayton focused on investor protection, market regulation, cybersecurity risks and disclosure reforms.
He is married to Gretchen Butler Clayton, a former Goldman Sachs wealth advisor.
According to Newsweek, Jay Clayton’s net worth is estimated between $10 million and $50 million.
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Why did Trump choose Clayton now?
The nomination follows a turbulent period at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. Trump faced bipartisan criticism after naming Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte as acting DNI despite Pulte’s lack of intelligence experience.
The controversy spilled into the debate over FISA’s Section 702 surveillance authority. Several lawmakers argued that leadership uncertainty at the intelligence agency complicated efforts to extend the program. The House ultimately rejected a short-term extension proposal on Thursday.
Trump announced earlier this week that Pulte would take over as DNI on June 19, which is significantly earlier than intended. Gabbard is stepping down, citing her husband’s cancer illness.
