Trump Taps Former SEC Chief Clayton to Lead AI Initiative
President Donald Trump has announced the formation of a new federal task force aimed at bolstering the United States’ position in artificial intelligence, tapping Jay Clayton, the former chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), to lead the effort.
The initiative, dubbed the “Super Intelligence Force,” was revealed by Trump on his social media platform, Truth Social. Clayton, currently the Director of National Intelligence, is reportedly set to serve as the administration’s new AI czar.
According to Trump’s post, the task force will be responsible for coordinating the federal government’s engagement with a wide range of stakeholders, including consumers, public interest groups, religious organizations, critical infrastructure providers, and AI companies.
In addition to Clayton, the force’s leadership includes Federal Trade Commission Chairman Andrew Ferguson, Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering Emil Michael, and Office of Personnel Management Director Scott Kupor. The group will report directly to Trump and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles.
The announcement follows a recent gathering at the White House, which Trump described as the “Historic White House Accord on Super Intelligence.” During this meeting, leaders from major technology companies reportedly affirmed their commitments to the American public regarding AI development.
Clayton is a well-known and often controversial figure in the financial regulatory world, particularly for his tenure at the SEC during Trump’s first term. He spearheaded the agency’s “regulation-by-enforcement” strategy in the cryptocurrency sector, initiating 57 cases against crypto firms, initial coin offerings (ICOs), and other blockchain projects.
One of his most significant actions as SEC chair was the lawsuit filed in December 2020 against Ripple Labs, alleging the company had sold XRP as an unregistered security. This case has been cited as a precedent for subsequent legal actions brought by the SEC under Chairman Gary Gensler against other major token issuers and exchanges.
Since leaving the SEC, Clayton’s involvement in the crypto space has continued, albeit with a different focus. In 2021, he joined One River Asset Management as a crypto adviser and also served on the advisory board of crypto custodian Fireblocks.
Trump’s previous attempts to place Clayton in prominent legal roles include an unsuccessful effort in 2020 to appoint him to the U.S. attorney’s office in Manhattan while he was still SEC chairman. In 2025, Trump appointed Clayton as interim U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, where his office pursued the prosecution of Tornado Cash developer Roman Storm.
Details regarding the specific mandate and timeline for the Super Intelligence Force were not provided in Trump’s announcement.
