Trump nominates – President Donald Trump said Thursday he is nominating former Securities and Exchange Commission chairman Jay Clayton to become the next permanent director of national intelligence, replacing the acting role currently held by Bill Pulte. Clayton, now the U.S. a
On Thursday, President Donald Trump took a fresh step in reshaping the U.S. intelligence leadership—naming Jay Clayton as his choice for the next permanent director of national intelligence.
Trump said he is nominating Clayton to become the next permanent director of national intelligence. Clayton is currently the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York and previously served as the chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Before Clayton can take the job, he would have to be confirmed by the Senate.
Trump’s announcement landed amid a fast-moving leadership gap at the top of the intelligence community. The director of national intelligence oversees the broad U.S. intelligence community, including the Central Intelligence Agency and the National Security Agency.
Hours before Trump’s nomination. the House of Representatives rejected a proposal to extend Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act past Friday. The dispute was tied directly to the political friction around Trump’s choice of acting director of national intelligence. Trump had recently appointed Bill Pulte. a top federal housing official. to serve as acting DNI to replace Tulsi Gabbard as she leaves that post. On Wednesday, Trump said Pulte would assume the role on June 19 as he searched for a permanent DNI.
In a Truth Social post announcing the nomination, Trump described Clayton as “very Highly respected.” He 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.”
Donald Trump Jay Clayton director of national intelligence Senate confirmation Bill Pulte Tulsi Gabbard Section 702 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York