Jay Clayton, the former Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) chairman infamous among cryptocurrency investors for launching the long-running lawsuit against Ripple, has been nominated to serve as the next Director of National Intelligence.
The White House had previously faced intense pushback from Congress for appointing Bill Pulte, a housing official with no intelligence background.
The appointment of Pulte had stalled the reauthorization of critical government surveillance authorities.
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From SEC Chairman to intelligence chief
Clayton is a polarizing figure in the financial and crypto sectors. He is best remembered for his tenure as SEC chairman during the Trump administration, during which he oversaw the initiation of the SEC’s high-profile lawsuit against Ripple Labs.
That litigation, which alleged that XRP was an unregistered security, became a defining battle in the crypto industry.
Since April 2025, Clayton has served as the U.S. Attorney for Manhattan.
His current nomination is reportedly backed by current CIA Director John Ratcliffe, who is said to have recommended Clayton for the role.
Praise from Novogratz
The nomination has attracted swift praise from none other than Mike Novogratz, CEO of Galaxy Digital and a prominent voice in the digital asset space. “Jay Clayton a much better pick to head our intelligence agencies! Good for USA!!” he said.
A rocky path
Even with a more traditional nominee, the path to a successful confirmation is not guaranteed.
The White House has indicated that Clayton is expected to lead a smaller intelligence office, with a narrow focus on coordinating the 18 agencies that comprise the U.S. intelligence community. It remains unclear who will take over the Manhattan U.S. Attorney’s office if Clayton is confirmed by the Senate.