President Donald Trump nominated Jay Clayton, the current U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, to succeed Tulsi Gabbard as the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) in a post Thursday.
Trump announced the move in a post on Truth Social, noting Clayton served as chairmain of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in his first term. Trump’ pick comes more than a week after he picked Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) Director Bill Pulte to be acting DNI on June 2, a move that prompted backlash in Congress. Tulsi Gabbard previously submitted her resignation May 22.
“I am pleased to announce the Nomination of very Highly Respected Jay Clayton, former Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, the former Head of Sullivan & Cromwell, one of the most prominent and successful Law Firms anywhere in the World, and the current United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, to be the next Director of National Intelligence and, importantly, to serve in my Cabinet,” Trump wrote.
“Few people anywhere in the Legal Community are respected at the level of Jay,” Trump added. “I encourage the United States Senate to confirm Jay as soon as possible.”
Clayton started his legal career as a law clerk at the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania in 1993, according to Justice Department (DOJ) biography. He joined the global law firm Sullivan & Cromwell in 1995, where he worked as an associate and then a partner. While there, he co-headed the firm’s Corporate Practice and served on its Management Committee.
Trump nominated Clayton to serve as SEC chairman in January 2017, a role he served in until December 2020. While Clayton was chairman, the SEC “brought more than 2,300 enforcement actions, often in close coordination with criminal authorities, resulting in more than $10 billion in fines and disgorgement and over $3 billion returned to harmed investors,” according to the agency’s webpage.
Clayton returned to Sullivan & Cromwell as a Senior Policy Advisor and Of Counsel after his SEC tenure. He became the Interim U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York in April 2025 before officially assuming the role in August that year.
Trump’s nomination of Pulte to serve as the acting Director of Intelligence generated criticism last week. Congressional Republicans expressed concerns about Pulte’s lack of intelligence experience.
WASHINGTON, DC – MAY 08: Jay Clayton, Chairman and the Securities and Exchange Commission testifies during a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee hearing on Capitol Hill May 8, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)
Senate Democrats withdrew their support from Trump’s goal of renewing Section 702 in protest to the Pulte nomination, Politico reported Monday. This regulation lets agencies use intel to spy on foreigners and potential terrorists without a warrant but often captures the data of Americans in the process. A vote in favor of renewal failed again in the House on Thursday, according to the Hill.
Trump told the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) last week that he had privately informed Pulte that the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) is “unnecessary and/or too big.” Trump told the outlet that he wanted the ODNI to become smaller and said that he hoped Pulte could start changing things.
The president described Pulte’s temporary status as a benefit. “You’re less shackled” said the president. “It sort of gives you more power, you know, for a somewhat limited period of time.”
“Frankly, it might be good for him to shake it up before people come,” Trump told the WSJ.
The president added that he wanted Pulte to work on the release of more classified documents, including ones related to the 2020 election.
Editor’s note: Article updated with additional information.
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