What to Know About Jay Clayton, Trump’s Pick for Intelligence Director
The New York Times • • general
Key Points:
- Jay Clayton, nominated by President Trump to be director of national intelligence, served as the U.S. attorney in Manhattan for 14 months and was previously chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) during Trump's first term.
- Before becoming U.S. attorney, Clayton alternated between private law practice as a partner at Sullivan & Cromwell and government roles, with his SEC tenure noted for a pro-business stance and early enforcement actions involving cryptocurrency.
- Under Clayton’s leadership, the Manhattan U.S. attorney’s office has prosecuted high-profile cases including the cocaine importation conspiracy charge against former Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro and charges against an Iran-backed militia commander for plotting attacks on U.S. and European targets.
- The office is also handling the federal case against Luigi Mangione, accused of assassinating UnitedHealthcare’s CEO in 2024, though Clayton has recused himself from this particular case.