Trump Taps Former SEC Chair for Intelligence Chief

President Trump has tapped a familiar Wall Street regulator for one of Washington's most sensitive jobs. He announced Thursday he will nominate Jay Clayton, former chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission and currently the US attorney for the Southern District of New York, to serve as Director of National Intelligence, the Wall Street Journal reports. "Few people anywhere in the Legal Community are respected at the level of Jay," Trump said in a Truth Social post. "I encourage the United States Senate to confirm Jay as soon as possible."

The move comes after a week-long clash with Congress over Trump's plan to make ally Bill Pulte, head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, the acting intelligence chief. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard announced her resignation last month. She said her last day would be June 30, but Trump said in a Truth Social post on Tuesday that Pulte would become acting DNI on June 19. Democrats argued Pulte lacks qualifications and would inject politics into the role—concerns that helped derail a House vote to temporarily extend Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, a key surveillance authority set to expire Friday.

The House rejected a short-term extension 198–218 on Thursday, with some Democrats saying they won't support reauthorization unless Pulte is dropped. Some top Republicans were also against installing Pulte in the role, including Senate Majority Leader John Thune, Axios reports. Thune praised Clayton on Thursday, saying he "has a great reputation as being an incredibly competent manager" and promising to get him confirmed as quickly as possible.

• Sen. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, says he has "no idea" why Trump didn't announce the Clayton pick prior to House lawmakers leaving town, the Hill reports. (They adjourned at noon on Thursday and will next meet Monday.) He says the "only path" to securing an extension of Section 702 would be to have Gabbard or her deputy, Aaron Lukas, serve as acting DNI until Clayton's confirmation.