President Donald Trump named Jay Clayton, the former head of the Securities and Exchange Commission, as his next director of national intelligence.
The president made the announcement on Truth Social after many Republicans objected to his nomination of Bill Pulte, the head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, as temporary DNI.
‘Few people anywhere in the Legal Community are respected at the level of Jay.’
“I am pleased to announce the Nomination of very Highly Respected Jay Clayton, former Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, the former Head of Sullivan & Cromwell, one of the most prominent and successful Law Firms anywhere in the World,” the president wrote, “and the current United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, to be the next Director of National Intelligence and, importantly, to serve in my Cabinet.”
Clayton was previously confirmed by the U.S. Senate in a vote of 61-37 to lead the SEC.
“Few people anywhere in the Legal Community are respected at the level of Jay,” the president added. “I encourage the United States Senate to confirm Jay as soon as possible.”
Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina praised the pick in a statement on social media.
“Jay Clayton is an OUTSTANDING choice by President Trump to serve as Director of National Intelligence,” he wrote. “Jay is a proven leader with a distinguished record of public service and sound judgment needed to lead our intelligence community. I look forward to working with my colleagues to ensure his swift confirmation.”
Tillis vehemently opposed the nomination of Pulte, whom he called an “incendiary attack dog” that didn’t have “a prayer” to get past the Senate.
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“Whoever told the president to go ahead and commit to this publicly before vetting it should lose their jobs, because they should know that the math just works against Pulte being confirmed,” Tillis said at the time.
Democrats warned that they would oppose Pulte as well as the extension of FISA surveillance authorization.
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