Trump nominates SEC's Jay Clayton as next intelligence chief

Trump nominates former SEC Chairman Jay Clayton as national intelligence director on thursday.

The U.S. president nominated Jay Clayton ‌to be the next director of national intelligence, following pushback from U.S. lawmakers over his pick to fill the role temporarily.

“I encourage the United States Senate to confirm Jay as soon as possible,” Trump wrote in a statement on his Truth Social platform.

Trump faced widespread criticism of his decision to install a controversial ally, Bill Pulte, as acting director of National Intelligence while searching for a permanent candidate.

As the US attorney in Manhattan, Clayton oversees the largest and most prestigious of the justice department’s prosecution offices, with a vast portfolio ranging from terrorism and espionage cases to security fraud and public corruption.

"Few people anywhere in the Legal Community are respected at the level of Jay. I encourage the United States Senate to confirm Jay as soon as possible," Trump said in Truth Social post.

Trump said loyalist and head of the federal housing agency Bill Pulte would take over as acting director on June 19 to replace Tulsi Gabbard, who resigned effective June 30.

Pulte's appointment sparked a political standoff that has derailed renewal of an expiring surveillance law.

The Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday rejected a short-term extension of foreign surveillance powers sought by Trump.

Notably, the newly nominated intelligence chief candiadate, Clayton is currently U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York and a former ‌chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission.