Jay Clayton, SEC’s crypto enforcer, expected to become Trump’s AI czar

President Donald Trump is expected to name Jay Clayton as the White House’s artificial intelligence czar, a move that would put the country’s approach to AI oversight in the hands of a former Wall Street regulator best known for an aggressive crackdown on crypto. The expected pick, reported on October 2, 2026, comes after years in which Clayton built a reputation as the architect of the Securities and Exchange Commission’s “regulation-by-enforcement” era for digital assets.

Key takeaways

• Jay Clayton is expected to take on the AI czar role while continuing to serve as Director of National Intelligence.
• As SEC chairman, he started the agency’s Cyber Unit and pursued 57 enforcement actions against crypto firms and ICOs.
• His SEC sued Ripple Labs over $1.3 billion in XRP sales, a case later dropped under Chairman Paul Atkins.
• Clayton calls AI a national security matter but opposes pausing its development.

Jay Clayton’s Expected Appointment as AI Czar

Trump teased the appointment in early October 2026, according to a source familiar with the matter cited by NBC News. The announcement would follow a lengthy White House meeting on Tuesday with executives from leading technology companies, which Clayton attended.