Trump names Jay Clayton as next intelligence chief
President Donald Trump announced Thursday that he has chosen Jay Clayton, former chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, to succeed Tulsi Gabbard as the next 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,” he wrote on Truth Social.
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Clayton, should he be confirmed by the Senate, would replace top housing official Bill Pulte, whose appointment as interim director has led to a congressional stalemate over a controversial spy program known as the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. Pulte lacks national security experience, and Democrats are holding up renewal of the program until he is removed from the post.
The House failed to pass a short-term extension of Section 702 of FISA on Thursday before heading out of town. House Democrats helped tank the legislation in a 198-218 citing their opposition to Pulte’s leadership as acting director. It’s unclear if Congressional Democrats will work with Republicans to reauthorize FISA when they return to Washington after Trump announced Clayton’s nomination.
Immediately, praise for Clayton began to pour in, with former Trump campaign senior adviser Jason Miller writing on X that he had a “GREAT reputation. Absolutely top-shelf. Total winner. I can’t overstate just how fantastic this pick is!”
Senate Majority Leader John Thune praised Clayton’s reputation and said he is “a very qualified professional with a great skill set.” Thune indicated that Clayton is unlikely to be confirmed before June 19, when Pulte is officially acting director of national intelligence.
Some Democrats appear to be comfortable with Clayton’s nomination. Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) told one reporter that he has “great respect for Jay Clayton.”
But they may take issue with Clayton’s recent comments casting doubts on California’s voting process. “On the integrity side we’re doing we’re doing an absolutely terrible job, and the American people are right to question it,” he said on CNBC’s Squawkbox. “How come we can have an audit trail in every other aspect of our lives that’s important?”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer successfully blocked Clayton from a permanent confirmation as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York last year. But Manhattan’s federal court judges ruled in favor of allowing Clayton to continue to serve in the position.
Clayton served as chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission from May 2017 to December 2020.
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