WASHINGTON, June 11 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday announced former Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Jay Clayton as his nominee for director of national intelligence, replacing a previous candidate whose nomination encountered bipartisan opposition.
Clayton is also the former head of the law firm Sullivan & Cromwell, and the current U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York.
The latest announcement came as Trump faced growing pressure from both parties to reconsider his decision to name Bill Pulte, head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, as acting director of national intelligence. Pulte is set to take over as acting director of national intelligence on June 19.
In late May, Tulsi Gabbard, a former Democratic congresswoman from Hawaii, resigned as the president's director of national intelligence, becoming the fourth Cabinet official to depart during Trump's second term.
"Unfortunately, I must submit my resignation, effective June 30, 2026," Gabbard wrote in her resignation letter posted on X, citing family matters.
Gabbard's decision may have been driven in part by her opposition to the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran that began on Feb. 28, according to U.S. media reports.
In written remarks to the Senate Intelligence Committee in March, Gabbard said that there had been no effort by Iran to rebuild its nuclear capability after U.S. attacks last year "obliterated" its nuclear program. That assessment appeared to contradict Trump, who has repeatedly argued that the strikes were necessary because Iran posed "an imminent threat." ■
