Trump nominates Jay Clayton for director of national intelligence amid pressure to replace Gabbard
President Donald Trump announced Thursday that he is nominating Jay Clayton, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York and former chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, to serve as director of national intelligence.
The nomination comes after weeks of pressure from lawmakers demanding that the administration select a permanent replacement for former DNI Tulsi Gabbard, who resigned last month. The position is responsible for coordinating the work of the nation's 18 intelligence agencies.
Trump's decision follows controversy surrounding his appointment of Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte as acting DNI. Democrats objected to the move and threatened to block renewal of key foreign intelligence authorities unless a permanent nominee was named.
In announcing the selection, Trump praised Clayton's legal credentials and urged the Senate to confirm him quickly. Later, speaking at the White House, Trump described Clayton as an "incredible talent" and said no one was better qualified for the position. He also indicated that Pulte would remain in the role temporarily while the confirmation process moves forward.
Clayton currently leads the Southern District of New York, one of the Justice Department's most prominent prosecutorial offices. The office handles a broad range of cases involving terrorism, espionage, financial crimes and public corruption.
He assumed the position after the resignation of Danielle Sassoon, who stepped down amid a dispute over federal corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams. The charges were later dismissed.
Senate Republicans are expected to move quickly on the nomination. The Senate Intelligence Committee is planning a confirmation hearing next week, while Senate Majority Leader John Thune said lawmakers intend to advance the process as rapidly as possible.
Democrats, meanwhile, continue to oppose Pulte's temporary appointment and have linked their objections to negotiations over the renewal of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer reiterated that Pulte should not remain in the intelligence post, calling the position too important.
Clayton's tenure in Manhattan has coincided with several high-profile controversies and investigations. He was sworn in as U.S. attorney in April 2025 amid internal turmoil in the office and later oversaw the release of thousands of pages of court records connected to convicted sex offenders Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.
His office has also pursued major international criminal cases, including drug trafficking charges against former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.
National security issues have been a significant focus of Clayton's leadership. Among the cases handled by his office was the arrest of an Iraqi-Iranian man accused of plotting attacks in Europe and North America, including alleged plans targeting Jewish institutions in New York, California and Arizona.
During a recent briefing, Clayton warned that foreign governments and terrorist organizations continue to pose serious threats to the United States, emphasizing the importance of taking adversaries' intentions and actions seriously.
If confirmed by the Senate, Clayton would assume responsibility for overseeing the nation's intelligence community at a time of heightened global security challenges and growing political scrutiny of U.S. intelligence operations.
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