Trump nominates Jay Clayton as top US intelligence official after pushback on Bill Pulte | Donald Trump

Donald Trump has nominated Jay Clayton, the former head of the US markets watchdog, as the country’s top intelligence official.

The US president has faced widespread criticism for his decision to appoint controversial ally Bill Pulte as acting director of National Intelligence while he searches for a permanent candidate.

Clayton, former chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, is the U.S. attorney for the southern district of New York.

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

As the U.S. attorney in Manhattan, Clayton runs the largest and most prestigious of the justice department’s prosecutors’ offices, with a broad portfolio that ranges from terrorism and espionage cases to security fraud and public corruption.

Trump doubled down on his appointment as acting director of Pulte, but stressed it would be a short-term job. The president has said he wants Pulte to downsize the office, which has already been significantly downsized in his second term.

Tulsi Gabbard said that she had to leave her position as Director of National Intelligence due to her husband’s cancer treatment. The mission oversees the coordination of 18 institutions.

In selecting Clayton for the job, Trump also highlighted his past leadership at the law firm of Sullivan & Cromwell, which Trump described as “one of the most prominent and successful Law Firms anywhere in the World.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.