President Donald Trump has nominated Jay Clayton, the former chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), to serve as the next Director of National Intelligence (DNI).
Clayton, 59, is currently the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York and has a background in law, having spent over two decades at the prestigious law firm Sullivan & Cromwell.
He was nominated as SEC chair by Trump in January 2017 and served in the role from 2017 to 2020, focusing on investor protection, market regulation, cybersecurity risks, and disclosure reforms.
Trump described Clayton as 'one of the most respected lawyers in the country' and urged the Senate to confirm him quickly.
The nomination comes after intense criticism of Trump's decision to install housing regulator Bill Pulte as acting intelligence chief.
