Trump nominates Jay Clayton as director of national intelligence

President Donald Trump announced Thursday that he’s nominating Jay Clayton, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, for the role of director of national intelligence.

“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 in a post on Truth Social.

He added, “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.”

Clayton previously served as chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission during Trump’s first term and was a partner at top law firm Sullivan and Cromwell.

Clayton’s nomination to be U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York stalled last year in the Senate, which led to him being appointed to the role by a federal judge. During Trump’s first term in the White House, the Senate confirmed Clayton in a 61-37 to lead the S.E.C.

Trump had announced earlier this month that Bill Pulte would serve in the role in an acting capacity, taking over from DNI Tulsi Gabbard. The president has said that Pulte would hold the Cabinet position temporarily and said last week that he was interviewing five people to nominate for the job long-term.

Trump’s nomination of Clayton comes after he and the White House faced significant pushback over his decision in early June to name Pulte, who has no national security background, as acting DNI. As the head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency since March 2025, Pulte has helped the Trump administration compile information to fuel investigations into the president’s perceived political enemies.

The president’s selection of Pulte factored into the House failing Thursday to pass a short-term extension of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act as Democrats had made clear they wouldn’t support it if Pulte is overseeing Section 702. That part of the law allows the federal government to surveil foreign nations living abroad without obtaining warrants.

Trump said earlier this week that Pulte would take over as DNI on June 19, slightly earlier than planned. Gabbard is stepping down from the role, citing her husband’s cancer diagnosis.

The White House didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday about whether Pulte will hold the position until Clayton is confirmed by the Senate.