Trump nominates former SEC Chair Jay Clayton as DNI

1 min read Updated on 12 Jun 2026, 12:54 PM

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Shraddha JScanX News Team

AI Summary

President Donald Trump nominated Jay Clayton, former SEC Chair and current U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, as the next Director of National Intelligence. The nomination, recommended by CIA Director John Ratcliffe, was transmitted to the Senate following the resignation of Tulsi Gabbard. Trump appointed Bill Pulte as acting director, a move that drew bipartisan criticism over his qualifications, while Trump also directed workforce cuts at the Office of the DNI.

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President Donald Trump has nominated Jay Clayton, the former Chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), as the next director of national intelligence (DNI). The nomination was announced on Trump’s Truth Social platform, where he urged the U.S. Senate to confirm Clayton at the earliest. The White House officially transmitted the nomination to the Senate shortly after 5 p.m. on Thursday.

"Few people anywhere in the Legal Community are respected at the level of Jay," Trump wrote in the announcement. Clayton, currently serving as the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, was recommended for the role by CIA Director John Ratcliffe. A veteran corporate attorney, Clayton has focused on prosecuting violent crime and drug offenses during his tenure as U.S. attorney.

Leadership Transition at the Office of the DNI

The nomination follows the resignation of Tulsi Gabbard as director of national intelligence, effective June 30. Gabbard cited her husband Abraham Williams' diagnosis with a rare form of bone cancer as the reason for her departure after 18 months leading the Office of the DNI.

To fill the vacancy, Trump appointed Bill Pulte, Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), as acting director of national intelligence. This selection drew bipartisan criticism regarding Pulte's qualifications and lack of intelligence experience.

Reactions to the Interim Appointment

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) stated that Pulte's conduct at the FHFA had prompted a watchdog investigation and accused Trump of "rewarding his lackey" despite Pulte having "no national security experience." Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) also cautioned, "We don’t need a weaponized DNI, we need professionals there."

Despite the backlash, Trump plans to keep Pulte as acting director, stating in the Oval Office, "He’s only there for a little while, he’s running it for a short while." Earlier this month, Trump declared the Office of the Director of National Intelligence as "too big" and "unnecessary" and directed Pulte to begin workforce cuts, targeting holdovers from the Biden and Obama administrations.