U.S. President Donald Trump announced his nomination of Jay Clayton, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York and former U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission chairman, as the new director of national intelligence. This decision came after pressure from Congress to fill the position left vacant by Tulsi Gabbard’s resignation last month.
Trump faced backlash for initially appointing Bill Pulte, head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, as the acting director. The role oversees the coordination of 18 intelligence agencies, leading to Democrats threatening to withhold renewing foreign intelligence powers unless a permanent nominee was named.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump praised Clayton’s reputation in the legal community and urged the Senate to swiftly confirm him for the position. Despite this, Trump mentioned that Pulte would remain in the role temporarily to facilitate office downsizing, emphasizing Clayton’s exceptional skills.
Clayton, as the U.S. attorney in Manhattan, oversees a diverse portfolio including high-profile cases like terrorism and security fraud. He succeeded interim U.S. Attorney Danielle Sassoon, who resigned in 2025 following a dispute over corruption charges against mayor Eric Adams.
The U.S. Senate intelligence committee is scheduled to conduct a confirmation hearing for Clayton, with Senate Majority Leader John Thune expressing hopes to receive the nomination paperwork promptly. Democrats are withholding support for renewing the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act until Pulte’s appointment is withdrawn, causing uncertainty about the timeline for confirming Clayton.
Connecticut Rep. Jim Himes praised Clayton’s qualifications, suggesting that earlier consideration of him for the DNI role could have averted the current controversy. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer emphasized the importance of removing Pulte from the DNI position, stating that the role is too critical to be held by him.