Trump taps Wall Street top cop Jay Clayton as spy chief after Pulte backlash

The US president had stunned Washington with his previous pick, a loyalist with no intelligence background

US President Donald Trump said he is nominating Jay Clayton to be the next director of national intelligence, following controversy over his selection of housing regulator Bill Pulte to serve in the role on an acting basis.

Clayton has been serving as the top federal prosecutor in Manhattan and was chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission during Trump’s first term.

“I encourage the United States Senate to confirm Jay as soon as possible,” Trump said on social media.

Trump stunned Washington earlier this month when he selected Pulte – a loyalist who has used his perch as director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency to launch investigations into perceived political adversaries – to take over as acting spy chief, to replace outgoing DNI Tulsi Gabbard.

The row over Pulte ended up with the US House of Representatives on Thursday rejecting a short-term extension of a major warrantless surveillance programme in protest.

Democrats said they would not back even a temporary renewal without reforms to protect Americans’ privacy and a retreat from Pulte’s elevation.