Trump Pushes Crony Jay Clayton for Top Intelligence Post Amid Ongoing Scandals
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Donald Trump, continuing his pattern of rewarding loyalists and Wall Street insiders, announced his intent to nominate Jay Clayton—currently U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York and former SEC chair—for director of national intelligence, pending Senate approval.
President Donald Trump announced Thursday his plan to nominate Jay Clayton as director of national intelligence, a move that once again puts a corporate insider in charge of the nation’s most sensitive information. Clayton, who has served as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York and previously chaired the Securities and Exchange Commission, is set to replace acting director Bill Pulte. Pulte, a Department of Housing and Urban Development official, was appointed as acting DNI after Tulsi Gabbard’s departure, but his appointment drew immediate objections from House Democrats concerned about the administration’s disregard for proper oversight. The controversy comes as Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act nears expiration, raising further alarms about unchecked surveillance powers. Trump, undeterred by criticism, claimed, 'I am confident that Mr. Clayton’s experience in both law enforcement and regulatory matters will serve our nation’s intelligence community well,' in a statement that ignores the real issue: the continued politicization and corporatization of America’s intelligence apparatus. The nomination is yet another example of the administration’s efforts to entrench loyalists and undermine independent oversight, as the acting official remains in place until a Senate rubber-stamps Trump’s pick.