Trump Taps Intelligence Chief Jay Clayton to Lead New Super Intelligence Force
Key Takeaways
- •Jay Clayton, the US director of national intelligence, has been appointed by President Trump to lead the newly established Super Intelligence Force.
- •The Super Intelligence Force is mandated to coordinate federal government efforts to ensure the United States continues to lead in super intelligence.
- •The new body will report directly to President Trump and Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, placing it under the White House.
- •Clayton's team includes FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson, OPM Director Scott Kupor, and Emil Michael of the Department of War, spanning trade regulation, workforce management, and defense research.
- •Clayton, who previously chaired the SEC and was confirmed by the Senate in July as intelligence director, is expected to remain in his current role while taking on the new assignment.
President Donald Trump has named Jay Clayton, the United States' director of national intelligence, to lead the country's newly established Super Intelligence Force, according to a post on Truth Social published Sunday.
The announcement followed media reports on Friday that the appointment was coming. Cointelegraph reported on Sept. 20 that Trump planned to create an "AI Force" modeled after the Space Force and appoint an artificial intelligence czar. That plan has since taken shape as the Super Intelligence Force.
"The Super Intelligence Force is tasked with coordinating the effort of the Federal Government to ensure that America continues to lead the World in Super Intelligence," Trump wrote in his post.
Trump said Clayton will lead the new force, which will report to the president and to Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, a reporting line that places the new body directly under the White House. Joining Clayton, Trump added, will be Andrew Ferguson, chairman of the Federal Trade Commission; Scott Kupor, director of the Office of Personnel Management; and Emil Michael, under secretary of War for Research and Engineering and chief technology officer for the Department of War. The roster spans trade regulation, federal workforce management, and defense research and engineering, matching the cross-agency coordination at the core of the force's mandate.
Source: Truth Social – @realDonaldTrump
Clayton led the Securities and Exchange Commission during Trump's first term and served as interim US attorney for the Southern District of New York, a record spanning securities regulation and federal law enforcement. Sources told CNN, according to the Friday reports, that Clayton is expected to remain in his current role as director of national intelligence while taking on the new assignment.
The Senate confirmed Clayton in July to lead the intelligence community. As described in the announcement, the Super Intelligence Force's mandate centers on coordinating federal government efforts to ensure the United States maintains its lead in super intelligence.
