Trump appoints intelligence director Jay Clayton as White House AI coordinator

President Donald Trump said on Sunday that Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton will lead a newly created White House group intended to coordinate the federal government’s interaction with artificial intelligence. In a post on his social-media platform, Trump described the unit as the “Super Intelligence Force,” which he said will work with consumers, public-interest groups, religious organizations, critical-infrastructure providers and AI companies.

Clayton, who was confirmed earlier this year as the nation’s intelligence chief, previously served as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York and chaired the Securities and Exchange Commission. The announcement follows recent warnings from technology executives about the rapid development of AI.

Trump also listed other members of the force, including Federal Trade Commission Chairman Andrew Ferguson, Office of Personnel Management Director Scott Kupor and Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering Emil Michael. The administration has also launched a new government website, America.gov, which uses AI to compile information from official sources.

During a CNBC interview last month, Clayton described advanced AI as a national-security issue and opposed calls for a development pause, arguing that U.S. competitiveness would be harmed if the country halted progress while other nations continued.

The appointment comes as Congress has yet to pass comprehensive AI legislation, though several states have enacted transparency requirements for AI use.