- Trump has nominated Jay Clayton to serve as director of national intelligence
- Clayton currently serves as U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York
- The 2026 Intel Summit will feature discussions on data, AI, cyber capabilities and more
President Donald Trump has nominated Jay Clayton, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, to serve as the next director of national intelligence and a member of his Cabinet.
Amid ongoing developments across the intelligence community, the Potomac Officers Club will host the 2026 Intel Summit on Sept. 24, featuring discussions on data, artificial intelligence, cyber capabilities and secure information-sharing as agencies modernize under tighter budgets. Save your spot now!
In early June, Trump appointed William Pulte, director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency and chairman of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, as acting director of national intelligence. The move came after Tulsi Gabbard, a 2026 Wash100 awardee, announced her resignation as DNI, citing her husband’s recent cancer diagnosis.
What Did Trump Say About Clayton?
Trump announced the nomination Thursday in a post on Truth Social and described Clayton as a highly respected legal professional.
“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,” the president said in his post.
Who Is Jay Clayton?
Clayton has served as U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York since April 2025.
He served as chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission from 2017 to 2020. After SEC, he served as chairman of Apollo Global Management and rejoined Sullivan & Cromwell as counsel and senior policy adviser.
Clayton also served on the board of American Express Co. and co-chaired the University of Pennsylvania’s Institute for Law and Economics from 2022 to 2025.
